Pep Guardiola rages at ‘bulls***’ Man City criticism but warns his team Arsenal will ‘destroy’ them if they don’t change
PEP GUARDIOLA raged against the “bulls***” criticism aimed at Manchester City.
But the four-time Premier League winner admits Arsenal will “destroy” the defending champions if they don’t play with more passion.
City were given a fright by Tottenham at the Etihad last night, with Antonio Conte’s Londoners racing into a two-goal lead at the break.
But strikes from Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland quickly restored parity before Riyad Mahrez’s double sealed a 4-2 comeback win.
The result keeps City within touching distance of table toppers Arsenal, who are five points clear with a game in hand.
However, there were signs of discontent amongst home fans when they loudly booed their side off the field at half-time.
And City’s lack of consistency has also led to suggestions they have a weaker squad than last season.
But Guardiola was having none of it in his post-match interview, blasting the critics’ opinions while defending his Etihad record.
The Spaniard said: “People say we haven’t had success because we haven’t won the Champions League – bulls***! We won a lot.
“Two back-to-back [titles] in the country, and the way we played, the consistency, against this Liverpool. What a success.”
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Unfortunately for his players, Guardiola then took aim at City’s lack of guts and grit in their title battle against Arsenal.
He urged: “I want a reaction – not just from players, staff, the whole organisation. We are a happy flowers team.
“I want to beat Arsenal. But if we play that way Arsenal will destroy us.
“I cannot deny how happy we are [to win]. But we are far away from the team that we were. There are many things we are far away.
“We play because ‘my manager told me to do this’ – but there is nothing from the stomach, from the guts.
“We were lucky and if we don’t change, sooner or later we are going to drop points. No passion, no fire, desire to win from minute one.”
A fired-up Guardiola even turned his anger on City’s boo boys, adding: “It’s the same from our fans. They were silent for 45 minutes.
“They booed because we were losing, but not because we played bad. We played good. They booed because we were losing, but maybe it’s like our team.
“Maybe they’re too comfortable because we have won four Premier Leagues in five years. After we score a goal they react, but that’s not the point.
“We are far, far away from being able to compete at the highest level. Do you think we are going to close the gap to Arsenal the way we are playing? No way.
“Today we were lucky. If we want to win something or compete – but complaining, complaining – no chance we will win anything.”
One person who reckons Guardiola is “at the end of his tether” is former City defender Micah Richards, who commented: “It was scathing that, wasn’t it?
“It was almost as if he’d had enough of the situation of producing something so good, but nobody seems to be satisfied.
“When the fans boo, it’s never acceptable. It’s like he’s taken that personally. It’s like he’s at the end of his tether and I’ve not seen him like that before.”