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Pep Guardiola has refused to be drawn on West Ham\u2019s controversial disallowed goal against Arsenal, insisting he remains solely focussed on Manchester City\u2019s upcoming clash with Crystal Palace and situations he can \u2018control\u2019.<\/p>\n
City issued an emphatic response on the back of their slip-up at Everton, putting Brentford to the sword to reduce Arsenal\u2019s lead to two points ahead of the Gunners\u2019 trip to West Ham.<\/p>\n
Leandro Trossard found a dramatic breakthrough for Arsenal with just seven minutes of normal time remaining at the London Stadium, with the relegation-threatened Hammers proving a tough nut to crack up until that point.<\/p>\n
But there was another jaw-dropping twist in this year\u2019s title race as Callum Wilson fired through a crowd of bodies to seemingly cancel out Trossard\u2019s effort and rescue a point for the hosts in stoppage time.<\/p>\n
After a lengthy VAR check, though, which dragged on for the best part of five minutes, Wilson\u2019s goal was disallowed for a foul in the build-up, with Pablo adjudged to have impeded David Raya with an arm across the chest.<\/p>\n
In the end, the visitors clung on to their narrow lead to emerge with a 1-0 victory, ensuring they restored their five-point advantage at the summit with just two matches remaining of the top-flight campaign.<\/p>\n
Asked how the late controversy affected the mood in the City camp at a press conference this afternoon, Guardiola replied: \u2018I didn\u2019t see the players yet since I gave them a day off.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t
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West Ham were denied by VAR deep into stoppage time at the London Stadium (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\t\t
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Trossard\u2019s 83rd-minute strike proved to be the winner (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u2018Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace. I\u2019m thinking what we have to do to always learn from my career as a manager: what you cannot control, forget about it. <\/p>\n
\u2018Do better, what you have not done better this season, arrive in better positions to fight for the Premier League.<\/p>\n
\u2018We are still fighting\u2026 and Crystal Palace.\u2019<\/p>\n
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Once the dust had settled on the late drama at the London Stadium, West Ham head coach Nuno Espirito Santo claimed \u2018everyone\u2019 in football was \u2018confused\u2019 by apparent inconsistencies in refereeing.<\/p>\n
Pressed for a response on Nuno\u2019s remarks, Guardiola replied: \u2018I am not the right person to ask.<\/p>\n
\u2018What is said is said in the past so it\u2019s a question for the referees, for what they decide, not me.\u2019<\/p>\n
Asked how football can get a sense of \u2018authenticity\u2019 back, the City manager said: \u2018VAR arrived for many years here. We adapt, we know it and everybody knows it.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t
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City play host to Palace at the Etihad on Wednesday evening (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCity\u2019s squad will be all too aware that dropped points at home to Palace on Wednesday night will likely prove catastrophic in their hopes of catching Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.<\/p>\n
And despite 15th-placed Palace going four games without a win in the English top flight, Guardiola knows it will be no mean feat based on his past experiences against the Eagles.<\/p>\n
\u2018It has always been a tough game since Roy Hodgson especially and now with Oliver Glasner,\u2019 the Spaniard explained.<\/p>\n
\u2018They have their final, a European final (Europa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano on May 27), so maybe struggling a little bit in the Premier League, a lot of changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t
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Palace are without in a win in four in the English top flight (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u2018The manager is leaving, that was announced a long time ago, and maybe they\u2019re not consistent, but the quality is there, the patterns are there.\u2019<\/p>\n
On Glasner, Guardiola continued: \u2018He did an incredible job in Germany and he\u2019s an experienced manager, no doubt.<\/p>\n
\u2018Top team with a past, with Eberechi Eze, with Jean-Philippe Mateta, with Adam Wharton, with Marc Guehi, clear patterns, really, really good.<\/p>\n
\u2018Tough to beat and always have been, but still we are there.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t
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Guehi will be looking to impress against his former club (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThere are some fears amongst City\u2019s fanbase that Palace could play a weakened team against Arsenal on the final day of the Premier League season given their Conference League final with Rayo Vallecano falls just three days later. <\/p>\n
Asked if he, too, was concerned about the prospect of Glasner resting players against the Gunners, Guardiola replied: \u2018No, they are so professional, the teams.<\/p>\n
\u2018Crystal Palace will play top against us. We saw Leeds yesterday against Spurs how even being out of the relegation battle they still compete.<\/p>\n
\u2018We played here against Aston Villa in the past, West Ham, we knew how difficult it was so I\u2019m pretty sure they will do their best.<\/p>\n
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Is the title race already over?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2018They have their final three days later.\u2019<\/p>\n
Guardiola went on to sing the praises of Marc Guehi, who of course left Palace to complete a \u00a320million move to the Etihad in January.<\/p>\n
\u2018I said one week later since he arrived that he was an incredible signing,\u2019 he said of the England defender.<\/p>\n
\u2018He\u2019s focussed in every single detail of the game, his private life, to be a professional, it\u2019s an unbelievable sign for this club.<\/p>\n
\u2018So we are really pleased with his behaviour, how he turned around immediately. That defines the big, big players in the big clubs. Really pleased.\u2019<\/p>\n
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