Stefan Ortega, Manchester City goalkeeper, surprisingly defended Pep Guardiola after the Sky Blues manager's gesture towards the accommodating Liverpool crowd on Sunday.
New tensions have emerged in the modern rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester City. On Sunday, the Reds won (2-0) against the Sky Blues, consolidating their place at the top of the Premier League and plunging their one-day opponents a little further into crisis with this fourth defeat in a row in the Premier League. During and after the match, Liverpool fans sang mocking chants against Pep Guardiola, predicting his imminent ousting from the bench.
'I didn't expect that at Anfield'
“You will be fired tomorrow morning,” they told him. The Spanish technician responded to the fans by waving the number “6” with his hands, like the six league titles won by Manchester City under his orders (including four in a row). Guardiola also received support from his goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who started in place of Ederson during the clash. The German indicated that he was not surprised by this preferential treatment after certain echoes received about Liverpool.
“Someone said to me before that that this place probably wasn't the best in the UK. I think the manager responded very well,” he told Sky Sports. Words which caused indignation in Liverpool.
At a press conference, Pep Guardiola confided his surprise at being heckled by the Anfield public. “I'm sitting here as a manager and I'm defending what we've done in the past thanks to them and more than ever I want to be with them and hug them,” he said of his players. “We have to change the results and at the right time we will make the decision. All the stadiums want to sack me, it started at Brighton! Maybe they are right with the results we got.”
“I didn’t expect that at Anfield,” he concluded. They didn't do it at 1-0, but at 2-0. Maybe they should have sung it before. I didn't expect that from the people at Liverpool but it's okay, it's part of the game and I totally understand. We have experienced incredible battles together. I have respect for them.”
