Speaking in comments reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday, the Manchester City boss reacted to the growing controversy surrounding officiating decisions after a disputed VAR incident involving West Ham and Arsenal in the title race.

Guardiola explained that City have also been on the receiving end of controversial calls in recent years, especially in the 2024 and 2025 FA Cup finals.

According to the Spaniard, he stopped relying on officiating outcomes long ago and believes teams must instead focus on improving their own performances.

“I learned a long time ago that the only solution is to play better because VAR decisions can go either way,” Guardiola said.

He referenced last season’s FA Cup final defeat against Crystal Palace, where City were left frustrated after goalkeeper Dean Henderson escaped a red card despite handling the ball outside the area. Henderson later played a decisive role by saving a penalty as Palace went on to win the trophy.

Guardiola also brought up City’s FA Cup final loss to Manchester United the previous year, insisting his side should have been awarded two penalties during the encounter.

Despite his criticism of officiating standards, Guardiola maintained that players should avoid dwelling on decisions outside their control and instead concentrate on their own displays on the pitch.

He stressed that whenever controversial calls happen, the response should be to perform better rather than complain.

Manchester City remain firmly in the Premier League title battle and are preparing for an important clash against Crystal Palace before facing Chelsea FC in this season’s FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.