Chris Wilder: The referee 'made a mistake' with City's opener
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder believes referee Chris Kavanagh made a mistake during their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad.
The match official didn’t touch the ball, but was clearly in the way of John Fleck in the build up to Sergio Aguero’s opener, when Kevin de Bruyne was able to pick up a loose ball and put the Argentine striker in on goal.
It stood, which rubbed salt in the wounds of the Blades who felt Lys Mousset’s strike in the first half should not have been ruled out for offside after a marginal VAR review.
READ MORE: Aguero and de Bruyne give Man City contentious win over Sheffield United
"When you come to Manchester City you have to take your opportunities and unfortunately we didn't." Wilder told BBC Sport after the full-time whistle.
"Yet again we had another goal disallowed by VAR, that's about eight or nine over the weekend, this is not a situation helping the game and the small margins.
"But I will leave that for everyone else to talk about because I have said too much about it."
United dominated the first half and looked on target to keep their impressive away record intact. Before defeat to City the Blades hadn’t lost on the road since January.
That all changed when de Bruyne was gifted the ball on the edge of the Sheffield 18-yard box and was able to slip Aguero through on goal, before he smashed home from close range.
"I've been to see the referee and he has been honest about it." Wilder added. "We make mistakes and I believe he made one too.
"It happened that quick and I thought he could have been helped by his colleagues a little bit.
"We talk about the new rule where if the referee touches ball then he has to blow up, so surely if he is in the way and hinders us then he makes a sensible decision.
"If he made the sensible decision then I don't think no-one in the ground would have said anything about it."
De Bruyne added a second late on with a clinical finish into the bottom corner to secure Pep Guardiola his 100th Premier League win.
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