December 4th 2024.
On Sunday, Arne Slot outsmarted Pep Guardiola in their highly anticipated matchup. However, when asked about Slot's previous comments regarding Manchester City's 115 charges, Guardiola refused to engage and instead chose to take Liverpool manager, Jürgen Klopp's, words as a joke. Liverpool had just claimed a 2-0 victory over City, and after the game, Mohamed Salah hinted that it could potentially be his last time facing Guardiola's team as his contract is set to expire at the end of the season.
The uncertainty surrounding Salah's future continues to loom, with Liverpool yet to offer him a new contract. Slot was confronted with Salah's comments during a press conference on Tuesday, to which he responded in a playful manner. He suggested that perhaps Salah knew something about City's potential relegation due to the 115 charges for financial rule breaches. "Maybe Mo knows more about the 115 charges, so he doesn't expect them to be in the Premier League next season," Slot joked.
However, Guardiola made it clear that he was not taking Slot's comments seriously and that he expects City to remain in the Premier League. "I do expect them to be in the Premier League. That was a joke! I do repeat, that was a joke," Slot clarified. The City manager faced his own press conference and was asked about Slot's remarks. "It was a joke. He said it was a joke, right? It was a joke," Guardiola responded with a smile.
Despite their recent defeat and struggles in form, Guardiola remains resolute. When questioned about his gesture of holding up six fingers to both Liverpool and City fans at Anfield, representing his six Premier League titles, Guardiola explained that he was never cool to begin with. "We won six, yeah. I was never cool. Do you know why I was cool? Because we won," he stated. "If you ever win, it's so cool, it's so handsome, it's so nice. When you don't win, it's completely the opposite. But it's the same," Guardiola added.
The topic then shifted to the infamous moment when former Manchester United manager, José Mourinho, held up three fingers to Chelsea fans in 2018. This was seen as a turning point for Mourinho's tenure at United. When asked if he believed the same could happen to him, Guardiola responded with confidence. "I hope not in my case. Maybe we are similar like José, but he won three and I won six! We are together in those situations," he stated.
Guardiola further emphasized his commitment to City and his desire to extend his time with the club. "It was just to make our fans feel that what we have done is extraordinary. I want to prove that we are an incredible football club. Sooner or later, it's going to be the end, but I will try to extend as much as possible for the best of my club," he declared.
As City looks to bounce back from their recent loss, they will face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Wednesday night. Guardiola and his team remain determined to prove their abilities and continue their success in the league.
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