Pep Guardiola took a lighthearted jab at Manchester United after they ended their six-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup on Sunday. The Red Devils defeated Newcastle 2-0 to claim their first piece of silverware since 2017, while Guardiola has led Manchester City to nine trophies in that time.
The City boss congratulated United on their victory, but couldn’t resist a playful comment about their spending. He said: “Congratulations to United for the Carabao Cup. Sooner or later it should happen, shouldn’t it? Welcome. United have to be there. They’re in the position they normally should be. The reality is that two teams, Liverpool and ourselves, have done incredibly well with the numbers. Now it’s closer.”
When asked if United were now back as a major rival, Guardiola joked: “Maybe. If they spend a little more money, yes? Because they didn’t spend, did they?” He went on to praise United’s manager Erik ten Hag and the players for their commitment and hard work in achieving the win.
Guardiola also reflected on his team’s four consecutive Carabao Cup wins from 2018, saying the first one was the most exciting. He said: “For the staff it was new, for the players it was new. The fourth time we travelled there to win the Carabao Cup for the fourth time in a row, it was, ‘Well, it’s OK, another one, another day in the office’.”
Pep Guardiola had a few lighthearted words for Manchester United after their Carabao Cup win on Sunday. The City boss congratulated them on ending their six-year trophy drought and welcomed them back to the winner’s circle. He then joked about their spending habits and praised their manager Erik ten Hag and players for their commitment and hard work. Guardiola also reflected on his own team’s four consecutive League Cup wins from 2018, saying the first one was the most exciting.
