Pep Guardiola: ‘I have never trusted anything with VAR’ as Man City chase Premier League

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he has "never trusted anything" involving referees and VAR after a pivotal decision in the Premier League title race, and urged his squad to put the controversy behind them and focus on their upcoming match with Crystal Palace. The comments were made as City remain embroiled in a tight run-in for the domestic title.

Why it matters

Guardiola's public lack of faith in officiating and video assistant refereeing comes at a crucial point in the season, where marginal decisions can directly affect the outcome of the title race. His remarks signal frustration that could influence how City approach their remaining fixtures and how the club and supporters react to contentious calls.

Guardiola’s stance on referees and VAR

According to Sky Sports, Guardiola said: "I have never trusted anything" with referees and VAR. The manager was speaking after a defining decision in the Premier League title race and used the opportunity to stress that Manchester City must be better on the pitch and concentrate on their next opponents rather than dwell on officiating controversies.

Implications for Manchester City and the title run-in

Guardiola framed the situation as one requiring internal focus. He asked his players to remain concentrated on the immediate task of preparing for Crystal Palace. The comments underline a preference to control what the team can influence — their performance — rather than challenge match official decisions publicly.

• Guardiola said he has "never trusted anything" with referees and VAR (Sky Sports).
• His comments followed a pivotal refereeing decision affecting the Premier League title race.
• He urged Manchester City to be better and to focus on their upcoming match with Crystal Palace.

Context and what’s not confirmed

The supplied Sky Sports metadata includes Guardiola's quote and the broader point that it followed a pivotal decision; it does not provide full match details, the specific incident referenced, the scoreline, fixture date or time, or any follow-up comments from referees, the Premier League, Crystal Palace, or Manchester City. Those details should be confirmed from the full Sky Sports article or additional sources before publishing a final version.

What happens next

Guardiola has called for concentration on the remainder of the campaign and specifically on the next Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace. How City respond on the pitch will determine whether this controversy becomes a talking point or a footnote in the title run-in.