**Manchester City midfielder Rodri expressed frustration at officiating in his side’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham in north London on Sunday evening.**
City lost further ground in the title race as Dominic Solanke’s second-half brace cancelled strikes from Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo, with the Blues boasting just one win in their last six Premier League outings.
Arsenal established a six point lead at the top of the table after returning to winning ways against Leeds United at Elland Road, with many already ruling Manchester City out of a title race that is increasingly steering in the favour of the north Londoners.
City entered the interval against Tottenham with a comfortable two goal lead in hand but a disastrous second-half saw the Blues leave the English capital with a frustrating point, though there was huge controversy around Solanke’s first goal after 53 minutes.
Solanke, who had never scored against Manchester City previously in his career before his heroic brace on Sunday, made no contact with the ball and instead appeared to foul Marc Guehi, off whom the ball made its way into the net as Tottenham halved the deficit.
VAR ruled in favour of the hosts, much to the chagrin of City midfielder Rodri, who criticised the officiating around the incident and cited the goal as a key reason for the Blues’ capitulation in the second-half.
“It’s a clear foul in the first action of the goal. It’s a clear foul and VAR is there do a reason. And these small details make the difference. We’re trying to do our best, it’s the first goal they scored, maybe if they don’t score this first goal we win the game,” the Spain international said in a post-match interview with [Stan Sport Football](https://x.com/StanSportFC).
“It’s one game and another game and another game; it’s not possible! Honestly, I never speak about referees, I respect their job massively but they have to pay attention to these things. He kicked the leg, it’s so clear, it’s so clear! He anticipated the leg of Marc (Guehi) and it’s a clear foul. But it’s not just today, it’s two, three games in a row and I don’t know why.
“Honestly. I know we won too much and the people they don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral. And for me, honestly, it’s not fair! It’s not fair because we work so hard in these situations, now to make these decisions that we have to move on of course, you need to come back.
“But at the end, when everything is finished, you are frustrated because it’s so clear the foul. He kicked the leg! And then with the push of the action, the ball goes in.
“We have to pay attention to those little things, otherwise it’s going to be difficult for everyone because this league is like this; it’s about small details and everything counts. So I think today is a very tough day for us in this sense.”
City face a difficult test away at Liverpool next weekend as doubts circle around the Blues’ title prospects. “It’s not damaging,” Rodri added on the ramifications of City’s latest setback. “Of course, we expect here to win. But we go further from this.
“Of course, we wanted to win, we’re still not going to put the arms down, we’re going to keep fighting until the end because this is our identity. But the reality is we need to be fair in these situations. It’s not just one because everyone can make a mistake. We all have mistakes, no worries about one.
“But when it’s one, two, three, four in a row – as the manager says, because he’s the guy in charge of saying these things, but now I’m the captain saying today – it’s not possible! Honestly, it’s not possible. And not saying the level of the referees here is bad, it’s great!
“But we have to pay attention because we worked so hard, these little actions now make the difference. It cannot make the difference. And today, unfortunately it did.”
When asked if he had raised the issue around Solanke’s opening goal with the referee, Rodri said: “No, it’s impossible. You cannot talk to them. It’s not my aim to talk to them. But at the end, in the years before, it’s not my responsibility. Now I’m the captain, I want to say it today, we feel a bit upset with this.”
Rodri could be rested in midweek when Manchester City welcome Newcastle United to the Etihad Stadium for the return leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie, entering the game with a two goal advantage.