Pep Guardiola reveals texts to Mikel Arteta following Man City and Arsenal controversy

Manchester City brag Pep Guardiola has said past weekend's arguable Premier League gathering with Arsenal volition NOT interaction his idiosyncratic narration with Mikel Arteta

Pep Guardiola claims helium has texted Mikel Arteta and they are inactive pals aft Sunday’s explosive fixture astatine the Etihad.

City’s players laid into Arsenal, accusing them of excelling successful the acheronian arts aft their 10-men were lone denied triumph by John Stones ’ 98th-minute equaliser. Guardiola claimed aft his side’s Carabao Cup triumph implicit Watford that it is up to Arsenal to play their benignant and down to City to combat it.

“The opponents tin play however they privation to, it’s up to america to grip them,” said the City boss. "With Mikel, we texted each other. The relationship, it doesn’t change.

“If they determine to play successful that way, it’s much than perfect. It’s fine. I wasn’t capable to bash that, but they were brilliant. It’s astir us, however we tin interruption them down and we did it truly good successful galore things.

“It’s not the archetypal clip successful 8 years here. Do you cognize however galore times we’ve played against teams that play that way? Millions, millions. It’s astir us, that’s wherefore it’s a situation for us.”

The fall-out from Sunday, including Rodri’s superior genu injury, overshadowed Tuesday night's lucifer and City were strolling to triumph earlier Watford scored 4 minutes from time.

Matheus Nunes netted City’s 2nd with his archetypal extremity connected his 34th quality for the Blues to the delight of Guardiola. Nunes outgo £53million from Wolves a twelvemonth agone and Guardiola said: “He has a peculiar prime that fewer players have, he’s unique.

“I’m truly pleased for him and sometimes it’s not casual for caller players to adapt.”

Watford brag Tom Cleverley was pleased by the quality his broadside showed aft losing 4-1 to Norwich connected Saturday and conceding early. They showed backbone and we pushed the champion squad successful the world each the way,” helium said.

Watford’s suicidal defending didn’t assistance them successful the 5th infinitesimal erstwhile they passed the shot successful their ain box, inviting City to nick it and people the archetypal goal. James McAtee nipped successful and pulled the shot backmost for Jack Grealish, who squared it for Jeremy Doku to occurrence location right-footed.

Guardiola handed Kaden Braithwaite his debut astatine left-back and the teenage defender became the club’s 3rd youngest subordinate astatine 16 years and 229 days. Braithwaite was coagulated and helium was fixed an unceremonious instauration to elder shot erstwhile Kwadwo Baah shoved him disconnected the shot earlier scoring, lone for the onslaught to beryllium disallowed for a foul, which Cleverley disputed.

Normal work was resumed and City scored their 2nd connected 38 minutes erstwhile Rico Lewis fed Nunes connected the borderline of the box, who changeable location left-footed. City went adjacent to a 3rd erstwhile Nunes’s changeable saved by Jonathan Bond and Savinho’s effort was headed disconnected the enactment by Tom Ince.

Savinho past deed the acold station pursuing a lightning interruption down the close earlier Bond denied Grealish. Watford scored connected 86 minutes erstwhile Ince curled a beauteous left-foot changeable into the acold country from the borderline of the country to springiness the scoreline a flattering look.

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