Pep Guardiola says 'I can get a yellow card but Rodri cannot' after Manchester City beat Nottingham Forest

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said "Rodri has to control himself" after a red card, and said that his own yellow card is permissable.

The Spaniard scored in midweek during their UEFA Champions League victory over Crvena Zvezda, but gave his side a tough task at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon after seeing red for violent conduct in the 46th minute.

Rodri was sent off for the first time in his career after his temper boiled over shortly after the restart, and saw red after putting his hands around Morgan Gibbs-White’s neck.

Fortunately for the current champions, they were able to close out the match while keeping a clean sheet, and already had a two-goal advantage to preserve after Phil Foden opened the scoring on seven minutes, and Erling Haaland made it 60 from 62 City games when he added a second seven minutes later.

After Rodri’s sending off, Guardiola cautioned that his players had to be more careful with their discipline compared to his own, despite his own yellow card in the first half for dissent as he disputed a foul on Haaland.

He said: “Rodri has to control himself and his emotions, this is what he has to do. I can get a yellow card but Rodri cannot get a yellow card, I do not play. The guys inside have to be careful."

Guardiola praised the performance in the first half, and also in the second half after the demands of the game changed.

He said: "An exceptional game in the first half. Exceptional game in the second for our resilience and our work because we played, I would say, 51/52 minutes 10 against 11 so it was not easy but we were fantastic.

“I thought the way we played in the first half was amazing against a difficult side for the physicality, the pace they have up front so yeah, recover for the next one."

The win took City five points clear of Tottenham, who have played a game fewer than Guardiola’s men.

Manchester City travel to Newcastle in midweek for their EFL Cup tie, before an away trip against Wolverhampton Wanderers next Saturday in the Premier League.

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