Pep Guardiola: The Manchester City manager is perplexed by the choice to issue a yellow card to Jeremy Doku for simulation.

In a gripping encounter at the Amex Stadium, Manchester City were held to a 2-2 draw by Brighton, a result that left Pep Guardiola and his players frustrated. The City manager came to the defense of young winger Jeremy Doku, who received a yellow card for simulation during the match, a decision that sparked controversy.

Doku was cautioned by referee Simon Hooper after he evaded a challenge from Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke. The official deemed the Belgian’s actions as an attempt to deceive the referee and win a foul. Guardiola, visibly irked by the decision, engaged in a heated discussion with fourth official Anthony Taylor during the match and revisited the topic in his post-match comments.

“If he doesn’t jump, he can break his leg,” Guardiola asserted. “To go on the grass is a tackle, and he jumps, so there is no contact. Jeremy is not a diving player. They should know it, but it is what it is. We didn’t win or lose because of those decisions. I told the referee that if he doesn’t jump, he can be kicked hard. He jumped to protect himself, but it doesn’t matter; don’t ask me about that.”

Despite goals from Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush, City were unable to secure all three points, as Brighton fought back with strikes from Pervis Estupinian and an unfortunate own goal from Abdukodir Khusanov. The draw extended Brighton’s unbeaten run to seven matches across all competitions, while it proved to be a setback for City in their quest for UEFA Champions League qualification.

With the Premier League’s additional Champions League spot seemingly locked in, the battle for the top five has intensified. City currently sit in fifth place, just one point ahead of Newcastle, who have a game in hand and are set to face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Sunday.

Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan expressed his disappointment with the team’s performance in the aftermath of the match. Speaking to BBC Sport, he acknowledged the need for improvement while urging his teammates to remain composed in their pursuit of a top-five finish.

“I feel personally very disappointed,” Gundogan admitted. “After getting twice in front and actually playing quite well, it’s a bit frustrating to not get the three points. I think we were able to limit their possession. In the second half, after conceding the second goal, it felt like we dropped in confidence and belief.”

He continued, “We dropped a little bit and gave away easy chances. It’s important to stay calm. Of course, mistakes happen even at this level. The opposition are so good; every game is tough. When you concede, sometimes you try not to overdo things. We need to expect the best from everyone every single day. I thought we had a good week of training. We want to transmit that power and energy into the game. Sometimes it isn’t enough.”

As City look to regroup and refocus, the pressure is on to secure their place in next season’s Champions League, with crucial fixtures on the horizon.