Pep Guardiola's Explosive Postgame Outburst Boils Down to Just Three Devastating Words

"Everything is fine," Pep Guardiola stated four times within a span of less than five minutes during his post-game press briefing. Given the tumultuous incidents that had transpired on the St James' Park pitch just moments before, the Manchester City boss failed to present a persuasive case.

The Spanish tactician expressed dissatisfaction with how his team's 2-1 loss to Newcastle United unfolded on Saturday night. Both squads collectively generated the highest number of Opta-classified "big chances" in any Premier League opening half this campaign, yet remarkably failed to convert any of them.

City, who had been refused a clear penalty shout in the opening period, ultimately went behind to a well-taken Harvey Barnes strike just after the hour. Rúben Dias responded with a scrappy leveller five minutes afterward, but Barnes would secure the decisive goal on 70 minutes amid highly disputed circumstances.

An extended VAR review ultimately ruled that both the scorer and Bruno Guimarães were in legal positions. However, City's grievances centered on the challenge involving goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who seemed to be knocked down by Barnes during the buildup to his clever backheel finish.

Guardiola stormed onto the field in anger at the final whistle. There was an altercation with referee Sam Barrott that allegedly extended into the officials' changing room. Guardiola was eager to downplay this confrontation with his preferred trio of words: "No, nothing, nothing. Everything is fine. Everything is fine. It is what it is."

The cameras then captured Guardiola in conversation with Newcastle captain Guimarães. The Brazilian midfielder had received commendation from City's manager before kickoff and apparently got additional compliments during what appeared to be an intense discussion from an external perspective.

"I told him how good he is," Guardiola claimed without much conviction before returning to the match's disputed incidents, "and the situation with Gigio [Donnarumma] I told him what happened for the previous situations. I think it's fine."

Strangely, Guardiola wasn't asked about his encounter with a pitch-side camera operator, whose headphones were adjusted by the City manager as tensions escalated.

When pressed about the potential foul on Donnarumma, who argued passionately with the official right after the goal, Guardiola acknowledged: "If he complained, it's because something wrong happened. The same happened in Bournemouth. It's what it is."

Nevertheless, Guardiola's tolerance started to wear thin toward the conclusion of an exhausting press conference. "The last five questions [have been] about referees and the actions," he snapped. "Ask the referees. I didn't see the images yet and nothing is going to change.

"I played two FA Cup finals against Manchester United and Crystal Palace and oh my god, did I say something? Nothing. It is what it is. And I lost. The first thing I did on behalf of my club was congratulate United and Palace.

"I'm not coming here to talk about referees, it's gone. I didn't come here to blame. It's fine. It didn't happen against Bournemouth so it's normal it didn't happen today."

Ruben Dias: 'Make It Make Sense'

Harvey Barnes remembered to put his shooting boots on at half-time. pic.twitter.com/wyav5Z5taq

Guardiola wasn't the sole City representative frustrated with the officiating.

"Of all the decisions, only the second goal we need to make it make sense," Dias complained to Sky Sports. "Where's the sense in their player pushing our keeper out of the goal. What are we allowing and for how long? It's more like sometimes you allow it and sometimes you don't so what can you do? In the second goal Gigi [Donnarumma] is being pushed outside his area and there is no consequence.

"I have had a chance to see, I didn't even see it out of the pitch. I had the chance to see the review and I think it is Barnes is pushing him away from the goal. We are so picky with certain contacts but then ones like this with the keeper, then they allow it. If this is the rule then fine.

"But then let us do the same. Back in the day it was a foul and now apparently it is allowed."