Pep Guardiola: it was my choice to deny Gabriel Jesus penalty against Liverpool

• ‘Jesus wanted to take it. I apologise. It was my decision’
• Jürgen Klopp hopeful James Milner injury is not serious

Pep Guardiola has apologised to Gabriel Jesus after refusing the Manchester City striker’s request to take the late penalty at Liverpool that Riyad Mahrez blazed over the bar.

Mahrez missed a glorious chance to give the Premier League champions a first win at Anfield in 15 years plus a two-point lead over Liverpool and Chelsea at the top of the table with an 86th-minute penalty. It was the fifth time in eight attempts that the Algeria international had failed from the spot but despite his poor record and Jesus’s appeals to take the penalty, Guardiola insisted that the £60m summer signing assume spot-kick duties with the regular taker, Sergio Agüero, substituted.

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