Arsenal star Nacho Monreal confesses to Pep Guardiola to the handball that potentially robbed Manchester City of three points
Spanish defender told his fellow countryman: 'In England there are no witnesses'
NACHO MONREAL admitted to the last-ditch handball that robbed Manchester City of a late penalty that could have kept them in the title race.
Pep Guardiola spoke to the Arsenal full-back after the final whistle when he owned up to handling the ball in the final minutes.
A late spot-kick and three points – after Chelsea’s defeat on Saturday – would have reignited the title race.
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But Guardiola accepts it’s over after nicking just one point from the Gunners at the Emirates on Sunday.
The City boss said: “Monreal said he touched the ball with his hand, he said to me ‘in England there are no witnesses.'
“I spoke to the ref and that is all. But if Monreal says it, that’s it.
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“We need to control, what we can control. I want the ball and I want to play, that is what I can control.”
Guardiola shocked the Emirates by starting outcast winger Jesus Navas at right-back.
The Spanish flier has shown no defensive aptitude during his frustrating time at the Etihad but he was thrown in to face Alexis Sanchez who was down the Gunners left.
And Guardiola was over the moon with how the Spaniard coped with Sanchez, as usual defenders Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta had fitness issues.
He said: “Navas’ performance was outstanding, it was not easy for him to do that.
“I am so happy to give him the chance to play because he did not play much.
“People love him in the locker room and Bacary is injured and Zaba has only been training two-days each week.”