Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has criticised the behaviour of Everton defender Yerry Mina following yesterday’s clash at Goodison Park.
The £27m Everton man was tasked with marking City’s goalscoring machine Erling Haaland, with the two competing in a physical battle all afternoon.
Indeed, with numerous collisions throughout the game, Mina’s rough handling of Haaland left the Norwegian with bruises on his body, visible at full-time when the 22-year-old removed his jersey.
Speaking with Sky Sports News after the match, Man City boss Pep Guardiola insists that Mina’s behaviour is ‘not necessary’.
Guardiola said: “It’s not necessary what he does. He knows exactly what he has done. He’s a good player but it’s not necessary – and for what? To win the game?”
Mina using everything in his arsenal for Everton endears him towards Blues fanbase
The Colombian international is a renowned wind up merchant and has often been known to employ some of the defensive dark arts, such as pinching opposing players.
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Given the bruising to Haaland’s body, this is presumably what Guardiola is referring to, though whether or not it is ‘not necessary’ would be a matter of opinion.
Players often use underhand tricks to gain an advantage, such as pinching or pushing an opponent and, when up against a striker of Haaland’s quality, it is of little surprise that Yerry Mina tried to use every trick in his arsenal.
Indeed, his proclivity to wind up the opposing team has made him a popular figure at Goodison Park and his return to the starting XI of late has been met with widespread praise following impressive performances.
With his contract due to expire at the end of the campaign, Mina likely has just two games left for Everton, and they could be two of the most important fixtures of his career.