Liverpool v Man City: Pep Guardiola grilled on Kevin de Bruyne relationship after Anfield touchline bust-up

Oliver Harden
Pep Guardiola and the badges of Liverpool and Man City
Pep Guardiola was satisfied with a draw after facing Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager for the final time in the Premier League

Pep Guardiola has insisted that his relationship with Kevin de Bruyne is “fine” after the midfielder was unhappy at being taken off during Man City’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield.

Having set up John Stones’ opener with a cleverly worked corner kick, De Bruyne cut a frustrated figure when he was withdrawn with just over 20 minutes left on the clock at Anfield, with Mateo Kovacic brought on as his replacement.

Guardiola was spotted explaining his decision to a visibly unhappy De Bruyne in the Man City dugout, with City unable to force a winner despite Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku hitting the woodwork in the second half.

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Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Guardiola was adamant that his relationship with De Bruyne is fine despite the player’s public show of dissent, vowing that the Belgian will “have a chance to prove how wrong” his manager was in the club’s next game.

Put to him that De Bruyne did not take his substitution particularly well, Guardiola said: “That’s good. That’s good.

“He will have a chance [in] the next game to prove how wrong I was, so next time he’ll have it. It’s fine.

“We needed a player that had the ball and [would] keep it. It’s not about pressing, it’s not about this play and that’s why Mateo is really good with that and [Bernardo Silva] and pull Phil into a central position.

“In some positions, he can keep the ball and make an extra pass, arrive into the box.

“Phil arrived two or three times at the post and in the final third, because I know in central positions Phil is extraordinary.”

Pressed on whether he was irritated by De Bruyne’s reaction to being substituted or likes his top players to be frustrated when taken off, he added: “It’s not a problem. It’s fine. We’re fine.”

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An away trip to Liverpool is often seen as City’s Achilles heel, with Guardiola winning just once at Anfield – a 4-1 triumph in February 2021 – since arriving in England in 2016.

After what is likely to be his last Premier League match against Jurgen Klopp, who announced in January that he will step down as Liverpool at the end of the season, Guardiola was quick to point out that Liverpool have never won in the league at the Etihad Stadium during his tenure.

He said: “I know how difficult it is at Anfield, but the Etihad is difficult too. Liverpool never won there.

“People talk about here, we won here. And never in eight years did they win there.

“So that’s why we prove both sides how difficult it is, both incredible competitors.

“We would have preferred to win, but I know – they prove it over many, many years – the quality they have with the transition, the offensive, the pace and everything.”

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