‘Maybe I must be sacked’, jokes Man City boss after trading taunts with Liverpool fans

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has claimed he was surprised by Liverpool fans mocking his team’s dismal run with chants about the reigning champions sacking him.

The home fans at Anfield sang at Guardiola as City fell to a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat, losing 2-0 as part of the worst run of the Spaniard’s trophy-laden reign, which has included top-flight glory in six of the last seven seasons.

Liverpool were the only team to interrupt that sequence in 2019/20, and Guardiola held six fingers up from his technical area in a playful response to their ribbing.

Guardiola: Stadiums ‘want to sack me’

“All the stadiums want to sack me,” said Guardiola, adding that he first heard songs about his dismissal from Brighton & Hove Albion supporters when City lost 2-1 at the Amex Stadium on November 9.

“Maybe they are right; maybe I must be sacked for the results that we have had. 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, not now.

“I didn’t expect it from the people from Liverpool but it’s fine, it’s part of the game. I understand it completely and accept it. We’ve had incredible battles together – they’ve won, we’ve won. I have a respect for them.”

Liverpool ‘unstoppable’ vs Man City

Cody Gakpo struck the opener in the 12th minute as part of a dominant first-half display by the Reds, with Mohamed Salah’s 78th-minute penalty sealing their sixth consecutive victory and first in five attempts against City.

“In the first 15-to-20 minutes they were unstoppable,” reflected Guardiola. “They started so strong… I congratulate them and we’ll reset and start from zero. It is difficult to believe it.

“I rely a lot on these players… all I can say is thank you to them because I know the commitment that they showed with and without the ball.”

City took 10 points from four games after key midfielder Rodri sustained a season-ending knee injury on September 22 but have slumped spectacularly since then, losing six of seven games and spurning a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 at home to Feyenoord in the other.

Guardiola said other issues, including playmaker Kevin De Bruyne’s struggle for full fitness, had affected his team, who are 11 points behind leaders Liverpool after 13 games.

De Bruyne: ‘Good minutes’ for De Bruyne

“There is a moment when maybe it will click,” Guardiola hoped. “Today, Kevin played good minutes and Jack [Grealish] played well… and Jeremy [Doku] played good minutes after a month out.

“Bernardo [Silva] and Rico [Lewis] have a lot of minutes in their legs. Nathan [Ake] was exceptional… we didn’t have a pre-season and then [we had] injuries, but we know that and we have to survive with that.

“We competed but didn’t create many chances. We don’t have the pace in the middle right now and they are stronger in the duels and you have to survive with the ball.

“We’re not good in transitions over 30-to-40 metres compared to [Liverpool]. We had to adapt and we did it. I cannot forget which players I have.

“I am here sitting as a manager and defending what we have done in the past thanks to them and, more than ever, I want to be with them and hug them.”

City host Nottingham Forest, who are a point below them in the table, on Wednesday (7.30pm GMT). They then visit fourth-bottom Crystal Palace on Saturday (3pm).




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