PEP GUARDIOLA was involved in a bizarre moment with a reporter when asked about Rico Lewis’ red card.
Manchester City drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace yesterday to leave them with just one win won in their last nine games.
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Beleaguered Guardiola was left fuming when Lewis was sent for an early bath after 84 minutes.
The England star picked up a first booking for dissent and then got another following a lunge on Trevoh Chalobah.
Replays showed he seemingly did not catch the defender and was in fact caught by the Palace man.
Guardiola angrily approached referee Robert Jones on the pitch after the final whistle.
Asked about the incident by the BBC, the City manager said: “It is because it is Rico.”
Match of the Day reporter Mark Scott replied: “Sorry?”
Guardiola repeated: “It is Rico.”
The interviewer was left perplexed, saying: “Sorry, I could not understand.”
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But the boss doubled down: “It is because he is Rico.”
Like most viewers, Scott remained confused: “Because it is Rico Lewis you think he got a yellow card?”
Guardiola then turned the questioning on him, asking: “You think it is a yellow card?”
The reporter then said: “No, no. I am asking you do you think it was a yellow card?”
But we were going around in circles as Guardiola then replied: “It is Rico Lewis.”
Lewis, who scored City’s second goal of the game, will now miss next Sunday’s derby against Manchester United.
Fans think it has tipped Guardiola over the edge, with one saying: “He has completely lost it.”
And it is not the first bizarre moment from the Spaniard in recent weeks, having hit back at chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” by lifting six fingers to represent how many Premier League titles he has won.
A clip also emerged on Friday of him being held back from confronting a fan in the street.
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