Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola says teams will be playing heel dag en nag due to the new timekeeping rules.
Guardiola was frustrated after his treble winners were denied the Community Shield on Sunday at Wembley.
Leading 1-0 until the 11th minute of stoppage time – only eight minutes were officially added – Leandro Trossard equalised with a deflected shot, cancelling out Cole Palmer’s second-half goal before the Gunners won 4-1 on penalties.
The Arsenal 🤝 Winning at Wembley pic.twitter.com/cTDz4qUbTG
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 6, 2023
The new International Football Association Board (IFAB) has been drukking to stop time-wasting in matches and have given officials mandates to add on the proper time for stoppages.
Stoppages include substitutions, injuries, time-wasting, disciplining, VAR checks and goals.
As such, ties could easily go past 100 minutes, as seen at the Qatar World Cup.
Asked for his thoughts on this, Guardiola pakked uit and says: “We will have to get used to this. We were winning 1-0.
“But it is a good question for the international board and all the people because they don’t consult with the managers, they don’t consult with the players.
“We have to accept it. We have to do it. Now the games will be 100 minutes, that’s for sure.
“They extend for goals. Every time you score a goal. [Imagine] a 4-3 and they put on 45 seconds for seven goals. Tomorrow morning at 8am we will still be here playing. Don’t ask me my opinion, please.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale believes they have rattled City’s cage with their “statement win”.
Having failed to beat City in eight previous meetings and missing out on the Premier League title to Guardiola’s manne, Ramsdale says: “For us it’s a statement.
Exactly one week to go before the 2023/24 #PL season is up and running 🎉 pic.twitter.com/q9Uyyk6PZa
“It’s a marker to know we can go and beat Man City in a big game when it matters. I’m not sure what it will be like this season but that mental block is gone.”
Guardiola’s City kick off the new Premier League season against Burnley on Friday night, while the Gunners host Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za