How Joško Gvardiol passed up chance to set Premier League record

Updated: 12 May, 2024 • 0 • min read

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How Joško Gvardiol passed up chance to set Premier League record

Joško Gvardiol has explained the reason he declined the chance to become the first defender to net a Premier League hat-trick in Manchester City's win against Fulham.

Pep Guardiola's side are closing in on the Premier League title after a crushing 4-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The 22-year-old scored a goal either side of Phil Foden's strike to give City a commanding lead over the Cottagers in the lunch-time kick off on Saturday.

Not your typical 'defender' 🤯

Take a bow, @JoskoGvardiol4! 👏 pic.twitter.com/8s1aeyw506
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 11, 2024

Cool as you like, @JoskoGvardiol4! ✌️😏 pic.twitter.com/R4uIyfwlAO
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 11, 2024

The Citizens were then awarded a penalty in the 97th minute after substitute Julián Álvarez was fouled in the box.

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Gvardiol was offered the chance to take the spot kick and become the first defender in Premier League history to score a hat-trick.

The Croatia international passed up the opportunity, though, and allowed Álvarez to step and stroke home City's fourth goal of a one-sided encounter.

Explaining why he, despite Kyle Walker's offer, refused to take down the penalty, Gvardiol told TNT Sports:

Another two goals for me and of course another clean sheet. Really happy.

We discussed about me taking the penalty, and of course I would have liked to, but we have a taker and he takes them.

At the end Julián came on and he took it to score the goal.

Everton defender Steve Watson once scored a hat-trick in a Premier League game against Leeds United in 2003.

However, the goals came whilst Watson wasn't playing in defence on that game day.