Alan Shearer has criticised Pep Guardiola for the way he argued with Erling Haaland just after the half-time whistle was blown in Burnley vs Manchester City.
The Citizens got their new Premier League campaign off to the perfect start on Friday night.
City ran out 3-0 winners against the newly promoted side, managed of course by Vincent Kompany.
It was relatively comfortable in the end, although Burnley did have some good moments.
Ultimately, there was a gulf in class.
Haaland was at his brilliant best. And there was also a truly amazing performance in midfield from Rodri.
The one downside in the game was the loss of Kevin De Bruyne to injury.
But Shearer believes there was another negative aspect of City’s win…
Alan Shearer not having Pep Guardiola’s antics with Erling Haaland against Burnley
There was a peculiar moment at half-time during the game between Burnley and City.
The half-time whistle had just been blown, and the Sky cameraman followed Haaland as he made his way to the tunnel. It is very normal for a player who made an impact to be the focus of the camera.
Then, Guardiola marched over to the Norwegian striker and started arguing with him, with his words very audible.
Guardiola wasn’t happy with the 23-year-old about an action right at the end of the half.
He couldn’t contain his frustrations, and let Haaland have it.
Shearer did not like the public nature of his outburst.
He said on Match of the Day last night: “I’m old school. I love how driven he is and how much he wants perfection. But if he doesn’t want the cameras to see him then wait until the dressing room then say what you want to. I wouldn’t have liked that. I would have said two words to him… and one of them would have been ‘off’!
“Say what you want in the dressing room to me and give me the biggest telling off, whatever you want, but not in front of the crowd like that, no.”
It’s just how Pep is
Other former players will probably agree with Shearer about Pep here. And probably some fans too.
But ultimately, this is just how Pep operates.
He is often expressive when the cameras are on him.
Who knows if this is deliberate or not. But it doesn’t really matter because it usually tends to get a response from the player in question.
Pep probably did know the camera was on Haaland against Burnley. Despite him looking surprised and pushing it away.
Perhaps the intention was simply to light a fire beneath the 23-year-old.
