UK Edition
Bournemouth withdraw steward allegation that Sergio Aguero struck him in crowd melee that followed Man City's late winner
Bournemouth on Saturday night issued a statement withdrawing an allegation by one of their stewards that he had been hit by Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero in the crowd melee that followed Raheem Sterling’s dramatic 97th-minute winner for Manchester City.
Hours after Dorset Police launched a formal investigation into the claim, which Aguero forcefully denied on Twitter, the club said: “AFC Bournemouth are aware of an alleged incident which occurred following Manchester City’s second goal at Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
“The club have been advised that due to a misunderstanding, an earlier statement alleging assault has been withdrawn and no assault took place.
“AFC Bournemouth recognises that stewards and police were carrying out their duties in preventing encroachment onto the pitch, with the safety of players and supporters in mind.”
The statement drew to a close a bizarre sequence of events that followed Sterling’s dismissal by referee Mike Dean after City fans surged over the hoardings in ecstatic celebration at him clinching a 2-1 victory with virtually the last kick of the game.
Several City players, including Aguero, Benjamin Mendy and Fernandinho, were manhandled as police and stewards tried to restore order. A Bournemouth club steward later gave a statement to the police.
City had left by the time of the steward’s complaint but Aguero denied any wrongdoing. Last night he tweeted: “On this story about the steward, I did not hit anyone, this allegation is false and the TV pictures prove it.”
Manager Pep Guardiola had been furious to see a second City player sent off in the space of six days and suggested that football should stop inviting fans if it does not soften its rules on goal celebrations.
His team had Kyle Walker sent off earlier in the week against Everton for two bookings and Sterling also now faces a one-match ban – against his old club Liverpool – for sharing his glory with the travelling fans. It was unclear whether Sterling even left the field of play as his team-mates joined with him and the supporters crowded forward.
“If you cannot celebrate with the fans, the best solution is don’t invite the fans,” said Guardiola. “You score a goal, you can imagine how happy the guy is, and the team. They want to go with our fans. You miss him [Walker] 50 minutes against Everton, 90 minutes here in Bournemouth, for one yellow card. I would like for someone to explain that to me. [Also] why Kyle Walker is not here today, and why Sterling cannot play against Liverpool.”
Mendy offered his own unique take on the drama. “Who doesn’t love a lucky 97th-minute winner and crowdsurfung?!” he wrote on Twitter. Even Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe could sympathise over the first sending-off in Sterling’s career: “no one wants to see red cards like that,” he said.