Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola apologises to Gabriel Jesus for letting Riyad Mahrez take Liverpool penalty

Pep Guardiola apologised to Gabriel Jesus for not allowing him to take the late penalty missed by Riyad Mahrez in Manchester City's goalless draw with Liverpool.

City were handed a late opportunity to take all three points when Virgil van Dijk felled Leroy Sané in the penalty area.

Jesus and Mahrez clashed over who should take the kick, with the Algerian eventually stepping up after Guardiola had relayed his preference through Benjamin Mendy.

Mahrez blazed his attempt over the crossbar and has now missed five of his last eight attempts from the spot.

“During the training sessions every day I see Mahrez taking the penalties and it gave me a lot of confidence,” Guardiola said, explaining his decision. “It will be good experience for him, next time it will go in.”

On Jesus, he confirmed he had apologised. “Yes, of course,” he said. “It was my decision.”

Sergio Aguero, City’s usual penalty taker, would have been the automatic choice to step up for the late spot-kick but he had been substituted midway through the second half.

Guardiola also felt City deserved to be awarded more than one penalty on Sunday.

Referee Martin Atkinson make contentious calls involving Virgil van Dijk and Dejan Lovren in Liverpool’s favour.

Guardiola late confirmed that Aguero would have taken the penalty had he been on the pitch and believed the Argentine should have had the chance to score from the spot regardless.

“Normally for the last six, seven months the penalties were always Sergio’s but he was on the bench,” Guardiola said. “When the first penalty was not given, he was on the pitch.”