Pep Guardiola referenced quotes from Sir Alex Ferguson as he indirectly criticized Liverpool following their recent Carabao Cup victory.
After Manchester City defeated Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, Guardiola took a swipe at Jurgen Klopp and his team. He mentioned that in the past, he viewed the Carabao Cup as a less significant trophy, insinuating that Liverpool’s win at Wembley was not as impressive as it may seem.
Speaking at a press conference, Guardiola said, “I remember when I arrived, Brian Kidd told me, ‘The Carabao Cup, don’t pay attention, play the young players, nobody cares’.
“Sir Alex Ferguson was always, ‘It doesn’t matter’. I don’t know what happened in these last years, looks like the final of a different competition. It’s the truth!”
Since arriving in England in 2016, Manchester City has won the Carabao Cup four times. Meanwhile, the Merseyside club has won it twice.
This year’s victory was particularly special for Liverpool for two reasons. First, despite missing several key players due to injuries, a young Liverpool team defeated a strong Chelsea team.
Secondly, this is Jurgen Klopp’s final season at Anfield, so the team is determined to win as many trophies as possible to give the manager a memorable send-off.
Next, Manchester City will face Luton Town in the FA Cup on Tuesday before turning their attention to the Premier League, where they will play against rivals Manchester United on Sunday.
