Pep Guardiola says he hates the word “complain” and will never lash out at his Manchester City players after a defeat.
But he isn’t afraid to let rip when the Premier League champion wins, just as he did after its 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.
The 48-year-old Spaniard — whose side is six points off leader Liverpool — says he prefers to bite his tongue in the wake of a defeat.
However, he let loose over City’s first-half performance at home to a Villa side that is just three points off the relegation places.
“If we play like we did in the first half, we will be relegated or in the relegation positions,” said Guardiola. “One word I hate is the word ‘complain’, so normally when I say something not nice it’s after a victory. I would never say it after a defeat. We were punished in some defeats and I shut my mouth, I didn’t say anything, so it is what it is.”
Injury woes
Fernandinho — who is suspended for the League Cup match — and Rodri have filled in in defence for John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi. Both of them are now fit but Rodri injured a hamstring last week joining the likes of Frenchman Aymeric Laporte and Ukrainian left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, who is expected to miss six weeks, on the sidelines.
“For the short term we can handle it. For a long time, I don’t know,” said Guardiola.
