City Boss Condemns “Classless” Abuse as Manchester Derby Ends in Stalemate
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola launched an emotional defense of midfielder Phil Foden after the England star was subjected to disgusting chants about his mother during Sunday’s drab 0-0 draw at Old Trafford.
The Manchester derby failed to live up to its billing as both sides labored through a forgettable encounter, but the match was marred by a section of United supporters repeatedly chanting “Phil Foden, your mum is a s***” throughout the game.
Guardiola’s Fiery Response
An visibly irritated Guardiola didn’t mince words when addressing the abuse in his post-match press conference:
“Lack of class. It’s not United – it’s the people. We’re so exposed as managers, owners, but especially as players. I don’t understand the mind of people involving Phil’s mother. Lack of integrity, lack of class – they should be ashamed.”
The City boss acknowledged such behavior isn’t unique to English football, but stressed: “It happens everywhere, not just in the UK.”
Flat Derby Performance
On the pitch, both teams seemed content with a point in a match lacking quality. Guardiola substituted Foden after 58 minutes following an underwhelming display, with the 23-year-old being booed off by home supporters.
Reflecting on the performance, Guardiola admitted: “We were not in the right positions to hurt them. We missed that little bit of tempo to create more chances.”
The Catalan manager highlighted Foden’s first-half opportunity and shots from Kevin De Bruyne as rare bright spots in an otherwise forgettable derby.
Crucial Run-In Ahead
With City still fighting on multiple fronts, Guardiola quickly shifted focus to upcoming challenges:
“Now we recover, then Crystal Palace and Everton. Then the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest. We need to win, win, win – that’s what we’re going to try to do.”
The draw leaves City three points behind league leaders Arsenal with seven games remaining, while United stay sixth in their disappointing campaign.
As the football world reacts to the unsavory incidents at Old Trafford, questions remain about how clubs can better protect players from such vile abuse – with Guardiola’s passionate defense likely to reignite the conversation about fan behavior in football stadiums.
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