Pep Guardiola silences reporters with 'nightmare' Newcastle United claim - Man City boss has some cheek
Manchester City 2-1 Newcastle United: Pep Guardiola couldn’t hide his feelings after securing an important win in the Premier League title race.
Pep Guardiola believes the prospect of playing Newcastle United for a fifth time this season is an ‘absolute nightmare’ for his Manchester City side.
The statement came after City secured a 2-1 win over The Magpies at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday evening.
It was a fourth meeting between the sides already this season with Newcastle winning the reverse fixture 2-1 at St James’ Park back in November before losing the two Carabao Cup semi-final legs 2-0 and 3-1 respectively.
Nico O’Reilly scored twice for Man City in the first half, either side of a Lewis Hall equaliser.
The Gazette has launched a new WhatsApp NUFC channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join our NUFC WhatsApp channel.
Pep Guardiola on ‘massive’ win v Newcastle United
Reflecting on the match, Guardiola said: “Massive [result], Newcastle is an incredible team, awesome in physicality and speed they have up front. Physicality in the middle. Really tough but the team was unbelievable.
"Every action, [Dan] Burn, Joelinton, they put flat ball in behind, it's a really tough team. I have incredible respect for that team.
“In Champions League [on Wednesday] it was 5-0 at half-time, the physicality and pace they have since Saudi Arabia took over the club, the way they play is so difficult. So I am pleased with the way we played today."
Pep Guardiola makes unprovoked NUFC ‘nightmare’ claim
At the start of his press conference, before any reporters got the opportunity to ask a question, Guardiola issued an unprovoked statement.
He started by congratulating former Man City and Newcastle player James Milner for becoming the Premier League’s all-time leading appearance maker, before turning his attention to playing Newcastle for a fifth time this season next month.
“I don't know, the guy who made the FA Cup draw against Newcastle,” Guardiola said. “But to come back again to Newcastle in three weeks, what a nightmare. Honestly, it could be nicer to us.”
Guardiola’s comments will fall on deaf ears from a Newcastle perspective, given their record against Manchester City. Not only that but The Magpies have already faced AFC Bournemouth at home and Aston Villa away in the FA Cup while City advanced to the fifth round following a 10-1 win over Exeter City and 2-0 win over Salford City.
But Guardiola’s issue was not only about playing Newcastle, but playing them at St James’ Park.
Hitting back at the suggestion Newcastle could also be frustrated with their FA Cup draw, Guardiola said: “Yeah, we have to travel [to Newcastle].
“If they would like, we would invite them to play here!”
Guardiola added: “Now, listen, we lost the first game and we won three in a row then, so it's an unbelievable team. I saw the game in the Champions League, 5-0 at halftime.
“The pace they have up front with Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga, long balls of [Nick] Woltemade during the one-half and the pace in the middle, so the physicality, the quality that they keep you whole, so it's an incredibly complete team.
“It's so, so tough, but all the set-pieces in every department is really, really good. Today they're man-marking, aggressive, they win duels, but we were there. So we learned today, we talked about this last period, so we learned today that is the rhythm, the level of football, modern football today.
“That's why the Premier League and the Champions League, the rhythm they play and they behave is massive.”