Man City star in cruel dig at Liverpool as Guardiola explains reaction to ‘sacked in the morning’ chants

Pep Guardiola has defended his touchline gesture to Liverpool supporters who jokingly claimed he’s ‘getting sacked in the morning’ while Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega could have landed himself in hot water with a nasty remark aimed at the city.

The Merseysiders battled to a deserved 2-0 win over Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday to leave Guardiola’s side winless in seven games across all competitions and, more significantly, 11 points adrift of Liverpool in the Premier League title race. The dominant side in English football since the Spaniard’s appointment, they now face a mountain to climb and probably have no margin for error if they are to win the title for a seventh time under Guardiola’s guidance.

During the game, Liverpool fans ironically chanted Guardiola would be ‘sacked in the morning’ amid their current struggles, to which the City boss jokingly responded/went full-on Jose Mourinho (depending on your take) by holding up six fingers to indicate his title triumphs for the Blues.

Questioned about that afterwards, City goalkeeper Ortega aimed a bizarre dig at the people of Liverpool.

Ortega said: “Someone told me before that this area (Liverpool) is probably not the best part in the UK. I think he (Guardiola) reacted really well, yeah.”

The City boss himself admitted the chats could him by surprise, saying of his reaction: “All the stadiums want to sack me! It started at Brighton. Maybe they are right with the results we’ve been having but I didn’t expect that at Anfield.

“They didn’t do it at 1-0, but at 2-0. Maybe they should have sung it in the past. I didn’t expect it from the people from Liverpool but it’s fine, it’s part of the game, and I understand completely. We’ve had incredible battles together. I have a respect for them.”

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Guardiola makes admission on Liverpool 2 Man City 0

Despite the pain at seeing his team’s chances of winning a fifth straight crown potentially ended at Anfield, Guardiola applauded Liverpool for their display and claims the Merseysiders fully deserved their win.

“First, I would like congratulate Liverpool on a well-deserved win.

“The first 20 minutes we experienced [intensity and pressure] like when we came here in our prime. I saw how Ruben came back. How good Nathan controlled Salah.

“I want the team back. I want the players back. Three or four players came back [from injury] and the feeling from here is we started to build something. From here we’re going to try to build, win games and regain our confidence.

“Then we are team and it’s fantastic. I’m sitting here defending what we defend because these players give everything. The best years I lived in Manchester, and I have to find a solution to try to win games.

“If we gave up at Anfield and are not consistent, you go home with a terrible result. The team was there all the time.”

Latest Man City transfer news: Pep eyes African history maker; Spain star linked

Meanwhile, Man City boss Pep Guardiola is being linked with a move to bring Real Vallodolid centre-half Juma Bah to the club in January.

The 18-year-old from Sierra Leonean has been fast-tracked into the LaLiga side’s first team this season and has already attracted attention from a string of Premier League clubs. However, it’s claimed City are at the front of the queue and are hopeful of sealing his signing in the January window.

Elsewhere, City are being linked with a move for Gabriel Veiga with the Spanish midfielder poised to return to mainland Europe after a spell in Saudi Arabia.

Reports in Spain claim that Veiga, 21, is on the Man City ‘agenda’ though competition has also emerged from another massive club.

Midfielder links are not uncommon at the Etihad these days in light of the downturn in results since Rodri’s season-ending knee injury and the Cityzens are also reported to be monitoring German midfielder Rocco Reitz, who has been likened to compatriot Michael Ballack.

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