Manchester City lodge complaint with BBC over Manchester derby radio coverage | OneFootball

Officials at Manchester City have reportedly lodged a complaint with the BBC over their coverage of the club’s derby clash with Manchester United last weekend.

Pep Guardiola’s side and their struggles across competitions continued into yet another matchday on Sunday afternoon, despite originally taking the lead in one of the more subdued derby day meetings between the two teams in recent times.

Josko Gvardiol’s header in the first-half turned home a Kevin De Bruyne deflected cross, only for that advantage to be entirely turned on its head in the closing exchanges after Matheus Nunes clattered into Amad Diallo to award Manchester United a penalty.

Bruno Fernandes would make no mistake from the resulting spot-kick, before the Ivory Coast international winger would then turn match-winner, as he rounded an onrushing Ederson to slide home a finish underneath a despairing Gvardiol and Nunes.

But City’s annoyance has seemingly extended off the pitch, after a local radio station snubbed the opportunity to be involved in the pre-match media duties, particularly Pep Guardiola’s media conference from the City Football Academy on the preceding Friday afternoon.

According to MailSport’s Mike Keegan, those at the Etihad Stadium were left ‘stunned’ when no dedicated Manchester City reporter was present from BBC Radio Manchester for the pre-derby press conference, which they believe is the first time in living memory for such an occurrence.

It is detailed that the station’s dedicated City reporter has been ‘regularly diverted’ in recent times, with others brought in to cover Pep Guardiola’s side in a move that has left those at the club ‘scratching their heads’.

The report reveals the belief from within the club that they believe no other Premier League side has been subjected to the same treatment and that radio listeners who support the club are missing out as a result.

Whilst the report details that Manchester City contacted BBC Radio Manchester to make their feelings clear, insider’s at the BBC insisted no ‘official complaint’ had been made, claiming that they are covering City ‘as much as usual’.

Manchester City have been granted two days off this week to mentally and physically reset following the weekend’s disappointment, and return to training at the City Football Academy on Wednesday to begin preparations for their next top-flight challenge.

A trip to face Unai Emery’s Aston Villa in the early Saturday lunch-time kick-off is next on the agenda for the Premier League champions, in the first of three remaining top-flight games in 2024.

The clash at Villa Park will then be followed up by a meeting with Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day, before closing out another calendar year with a visit to face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium before New Year.