Man City overturned a 2-0 halftime deficit to win 4-2 against Tottenham on Thursday but Pep Guardiola had plenty to get off his chest after the match, criticising his players and fans.
If Arsenal were expecting Man City to drop points against Tottenham, they just received a rude awakening as to what a title race with Guardiola’s side entails.
Just when you think you have a chance, they pull you right back into the fight, and four goals in the second half against Spurs maintained the Gunners’ five-point gap at the top.
But after the match, Guardiola was animated and no one was spared from his criticism, having noted a lack of desire and hunger from his side as well as the fans.
Now, where was that during the title races with the Reds?
Well, it was never an issue “against this Liverpool” as the reaction was always to respond, lucky us.
“It’s a normal situation to be behind another team [in a title race] but, ‘Let’s go!’,” Guardiola said in his post-match press conference.
“We have been in this position a few times behind Liverpool and then [the reaction was], ‘Let’s go’. ‘Let’s go’.
“Now? We were lucky today, honestly. I didn’t expect to come back at half-time.
“They are fantastic players, all of them, they do it, all of them, but there are details. It comes from the success we have had in the past.
“We have to admit it, we’ve had a lot of success. People say it’s not a success because we don’t win the Champions League. Bulls**t.
“We won a lot. In this country, two back-to-backs? And the way we played? The consistency? Against this Liverpool.
“What a success! That is normal [to drop off]. But we have to look at ourselves. It’s not enough. We can say, ‘Yeah, it’s OK’. No!'”
Man City, like Liverpool, have experienced a drop after years of tense tussles at the top and they have already dropped points six times in 19 games – they did so nine times over 38 games last season, winning the league by a single point.
You’ve picked a great time to drop off from record-breaking standards, Man City. Truly.
“I want a reaction from all the club, all the organisation, not just the players,” Guardiola later added. “The staff and everyone.
“We are a happy flowers team. A happy flowers organisation. I don’t want to be a happy flower. I want to beat Arsenal.”
No one was spared, even those who suggest failing to win the Champions League at City tarnishes the record of his side. Ol’ Big Ears isn’t for everyone.
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