Newcastle United’s win over Manchester City saw Ruben Dias calling for a rule change.
Harvey Barnes scored twice as Newcastle United beat Man City 2-1 in the Premier League to send a statement of intent.
Indeed, Newcastle were brilliant against Pep Guardiola’s side and really should have scored more than the two they eventually did.
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Dias, along with City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, were unhappy with Barnes for the second goal.
The Portugal defender told Sky Sports that there should be a “new rule” after Barnes was “pushing” Donnarumma before he finished from close range after Bruno Guimaraes had kept the ball alive.
However, pundit and goalkeeping expert Rob Green had a different view.
Newcastle United forward Harvey Barnes controls the ball before shooting at goal against Manchester City in the Premier League.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Rob Green claims Newcastle United’s second goal should have stood
Barnes made contact with the towering Italian following a corner, which City only briefly cleared. Lewis Hall headed across to Barnes, who teed up Jacob Murphy for a cross.
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The ball came back in and Guimaraes nodded down for Barnes, who turned and finished well from close range.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Dias said: “I found it weird that he was out of position, so we immediately knew something was wrong.
“But I managed to see the review and it’s Barnes pushing him away from the goal. We’re so picky with certain contacts, but one like this with the keeper, you allow it? It is what it is. If that’s the rule, fine. But let us do the same.
“Back in the day, this was a foul. Now apparently, it’s allowed. People are going to say I’m finding excuses but it’s nothing like it.
“Today Newcastle were better and they deserved the win. Because of that, they were allowed to score more chances than us. In terms of the rule, there needs to be a rule.”
Still, on Match of the Day, former England goalkeeper Green explained why City were in fact at fault for the goal.
“Donnarumma falls for it because he goes before Barnes makes contact with him,” he said.
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“The offsides aren’t offsides, they’re factual, it’s all fine. If you watch Donnarumma, he starts to go before Barnes even gets involved with him.
“If he stands still, where [Josko] Gvardiol heads the ball, he would have caught it above his head.
“Just stand still, it’s so hard as a ‘keeper to be brave and not get dragged into it. He got dragged into it.
“Yeah, there’s a nudge. That’s twice now, you’ve got to think, ‘well, actually we’ve got to change’.
“Donnarumma’s got to change, because that’s the Premier League.”
Ruben Dias was still fuming on the Man City team bus after Newcastle United defeat
The anger Dias felt was not only limited to the pitch.
Interestingly, Stadium Astro posted a clip of the Man City team bus leaving St James’ Park on Saturday night, with Dias seemingly rather animated.
It’s not clear as to exactly what he was so animated about but, given his post-match comments, it does not take a huge leap of imagination to suggest it was to do with the game.
Dias, however, was right in one of his assertions.
Newcastle deserved their win over City and Donnarumma simply has to be stronger. He’s a brilliant goalkeeper but there surely wasn’t enough to moan about there. No rule change is needed, just stronger goalkeeping.
Barnes did brilliantly for both goals and chalking his second off would have been incredibly harsh.
Newcastle were worthy winners and while City might rightly point to the fact that Fabian Schar’s tackle on Phil Foden didn’t result in a penalty, they simply didn’t do enough.