‘Great shot by Pep’, ‘clearly mocking the press’ – Man City fans react as Guardiola aims dig at Man Utd spending and Carabao win

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has aimed a cheeky dig at neighbours United over their spending after they ended a six-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup.

United beat Newcastle 2-0 to win the first piece of silverware under Erik ten Hag, and Old Trafford is buzzing as the club chase more success this season.

They are serious contenders in the Europa League after knocking Barcelona out, face West Ham in the FA Cup last-16, and have not been ruled out of the Premier League title race.

Manchester City boss Guardiola has admired Ten Hag for years, having worked at close quarters with him at Bayern for a season and tipped him as a future City manager.

But he has also long lamented City’s reputation as extravagant spenders when their rivals have also invested heavily; over the past five seasons, when the Blues have won the league four times, United’s total spend is nearly £40m higher and their net spend is close to £400m higher.

Picking up on this theme, the City manager joked that Ten Hag can continue their resurgence “if they spend a little more money” as he expressed his surprise that they have not challenged more seriously before. And Guardiola congratulated his counterpart for lifting United to their ‘normal’ position as he welcomed an overdue challenge for supremacy in the city.

“Sooner or later it should happen, shouldn’t it?” he smiled. “It should happen. Welcome. Congratulations to United for the Carabao Cup and to Newcastle as well – the game was entertaining.”

Asked if United could now kick on and become serious title challengers, Guardiola said with a broad grin: “If they spend a little more money, yes! It’s because they didn’t spend, isn’t it?

These Guardiola’s comments shared on Twitter gathered a number of replies from a wide range of Man City supporters.

@jniinj: “Great shot by pep.”

@ManCitty9320: “That’s my manager. Roasted United.”

@misfermo2: “Pep cooking United.”

@abdessalem_iheb: “That smirk.. We all know he s cooking.”

@plez24: “Pep is the best!!.”

@typicalcit3h: “VILLAIN ARC IS BACK.”

@Deyo17ii: “To the United fans getting rattled in the comments, the point of what he’s saying is money is needed to be succesful but it isn’t guaranteed success.”

@adiharris13: “Pep clearly mocking the press and their reporting of his time at city. Not that they’ll admit they’re the butt of the joke but try and make a story from it..”

@eboundary22: “Preach bro. Let the bitter delusional Hypocrites in the media and their fans keep lying to themselves that city is the only club that spends money..”