Guardiola offered an apology to new Premier League referee Farai Hallam "if he feels offended" following Manchester City's 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, January 24, 2026. The City manager had taken issue with several decisions made by Hallam during the match, particularly a denied penalty after a VAR review for a handball against Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera. Hallam, officiating his first Premier League game, upheld his original decision after checking the pitchside monitor.
Guardiola stated he must "defend my club and my players" when questioned about his animated reactions during the game. He had previously expressed frustration over refereeing decisions in recent matches, according to theScore.com. City secured the win with goals from Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo.
