Despite the 0-3 scoreline, the match at the Etihad was overshadowed by a series of controversial decisions from referee Michael Salisbury and VAR James Bell. Brentford vehemently protested at least three incidents they believed should have gone against Manchester City.

The most contentious moment occurred in the 71st minute, with the score still 1-0 to the home side. Forward Kevin Schade broke into the penalty area and fell after a challenge from Matheus Nunes. Referee Salisbury waved away appeals, and VAR did not request a review of the incident.

Schade tripping after a challenge from Nunes during Man City's 3-0 win over Brentford at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, in the 36th round of the Premier League on 9/5. Photo: screenshot

After the match, coach Andrews expressed his frustration to Sky Sports. He stated that Schade should have been awarded a penalty and that he could not comprehend how VAR assessed the situation.

"In what world would he fall if there was no contact?" the Brentford coach questioned. "That was an opportunity for us to equalize one-one. They explained it was not enough impact. But with a fast player like Kevin Schade, heading straight for goal, I don't know how much more impact the referee wants."

Many sports outlets and fans also considered this a turning point. Reuters commented that Brentford had been applying good pressure during that period, and an equalizer could have changed the game's dynamics.

Earlier in the first half, Brentford also protested an incident where Bernardo Silva swung his arm at Nathan Collins after a challenge. The Portugal midfielder fell to the ground, then struck the visiting defender's leg while still down. Salisbury only issued a yellow card, and VAR quickly concluded the action was not severe enough for a red card.

Bernardo Silva (on the ground) striking Collins' leg. Photo: screenshot

This decision drew strong reactions from Arsenal fans, whose team is competing with Man City for the championship. Many believed Silva's behavior was violent and warranted a red card. A Reddit user, sushiIsLife99, wrote on an Arsenal fan forum: "How the hell did Silva not get a red card?" Another user, Brandaman, commented: "If Collins had fallen, Silva probably would have gotten a red card." FormerCarry replied: "I don't know how many yellow and red cards Silva has escaped."

Match highlights.

However, former English referee chief Keith Hackett defended Salisbury's decision. According to Hackett, Silva's action was impulsive and lacked the force to constitute violent conduct. "The referee handled it correctly by issuing a yellow card," Hackett told Football Insider. "It was an act of frustration, but not strong enough to be considered violent. I would not expect a red card at this level for such a situation."

Despite this, even some Man City fans acknowledged Silva's lucky escape. In a post-match discussion thread on Reddit for Man City fans, user baldfraud34 wrote: "Honestly, if it wasn't my team playing, I would be screaming for a red card for Bernardo. Completely unsportsmanlike conduct. The captain lost focus for a moment."

A third controversial incident involved Matheus Nunes in the 22nd minute. Schade broke free and was one-on-one with the goalkeeper before falling under pressure from Man City's right-back. Brentford argued this was a foul denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and Nunes should have received a red card.

Matheus Nunes challenging Schade in the first half. Photo: X/BrentfordFC

After reviewing the footage, Andrews was more subdued about this incident. "Assistants said Nunes might have touched the ball first. If that's true, then I accept it," he stated. Former Man City defender Micah Richards also deemed this play very close, noting Nunes was "lucky" to escape punishment.

On football forums like Reddit, many neutral fans observed that Man City benefited from a series of referee decisions in the title race. A comment from Extreme_Discount8623 summarized that the Etihad Stadium home team "escaped two red cards and one penalty." This situation drew further attention because it was not the first time Man City had been involved in VAR controversies late in the season. Just a few days earlier, in their 3-3 draw with Everton, Pep Guardiola's team also avoided a penalty after Bernardo Silva pulled down Merlin Rohl in the penalty area.

Despite the controversies, the victory over Brentford allowed Man City to maintain pressure on Arsenal in the title race. Guardiola's team is currently two points behind their rivals, with both teams having three matches remaining.

Hoang An (according to Goal, Football London)