Fans stunned as Gvardiol ‘TURNS DOWN’ chance to score hat-trick as Man City star praised for ‘ultimate professionalism’
JOSKO GVARIOL turned down the chance to become the first ever defender to score a Premier League hat-trick as City breezed past Fulham.
The £78million star netted twice as City battered Fulham 4-0 at Craven Cottage to go top of the Premier League table.
Gvardiol, who joined City this summer, opened the scoring with a superb finish into the bottom corner – looking more like a seasoned striker than a rookie defender.
Before adding a second in the 71st minute when he slid in at the back post to get on the end of a lovely floated ball from Bernardo Silva.
Gvardiol has now netted four times in his last five Premier League appearances, but passed up the opportunity to extend that to five in five with a hat-trick today.
The Croatian was offered the chance to take a penalty for City in the 96th minute after substitute Julian Alvarez was fouled in the box – a goal that would have made him the first defender to score a top flight hat-trick in England since 1986.
But ultimately opted against stepping up to the spot and allowed Alvzarez to take the penalty himself, which he dispatched into the bottom corner.
The act of professionalism went a long way with fans who took to social media to praise Gvardiol for stepping aside and allowing his team-mate to score the spot-kick.
One fan wrote: “Gvardiol what a f****** player! Refuses penalty for hat-trick, ultimate professionalism, goal difference getting chipped away, up the blues.”
While another added: “Gvardiol gave up the chance to be the first defender in PL history to score a hat-trick.”
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And third joked: “Gvardiol is a better man than me.”
The 22-year-old explained the decision himself in a post-match interview on TNT Sports.
He said: “Yeah another two goals [I’m] happy, of course clean sheet I’m happy as well.
“We were discussing about me taking the penalty, and of course I would like to, but we know who is the penalty taker is and it was Julian and he scored the goal.”
The decision could be crucial in City’s bid for a fourth consecutive league title with goal difference a potential deciding factor in who lifts the trophy next weekend.
Title rivals Arsenal have maintained a nice blanket of goal difference between themselves and City for most of the season, but the treble winners’ 4-0 victory now closes that gap down to just two goals.
Arsenal travel to Old Trafford tomorrow to take on Manchester United and will be hoping they can widen the gap slightly before City play their north London rivals Spurs on Tuesday night.