Prickly Pep rounds on City critics

ROARSOME SIGHT, BUT FANS CAN’T WORK OUT WHO IT IS!

PEP GUARDIOLA hit out at criticism of his management and said Manchester City’s response to the dramatic defeat by Real Madrid is proof the squad possess character.

City have hit both Newcastle and Wolves for five since their chastening Champions League elimination, after which detractors claimed the Premier League leaders lack personality.

Patrice Evra took aim at Guardiola over his handling of players, while Clarence Seedorf also questioned the City chief’s philosophy.

Guardiola responded before tomorrow’s penultimate game of the season at West Ham, where City can open a six-point gap on Liverpool with a win.

‘You cannot have personality because you concede two goals in two minutes after you have chances to score?’ said Guardiola. ‘And after the last four games we scored 19 goals we (now) have incredible personality and these kind of things? I’m sorry but I completely disagree.

‘The same character and personality that lost in Madrid is

what we have had for the last years. Special former players like (Dimitar) Berbatov, Seedorf and Evra and these types of people weren’t there. I’ve played against them, and I didn’t see this kind of personality when we destroyed Manchester United in the Champions League final.’

City hope to have either Aymeric Laporte or Fernandinho available at the London Stadium after both limped out of Wednesday’s 5-1 win at Wolves.

Guardiola added: ‘Personality is what we have done over the last five years, every three days in all competitions. Maybe Liverpool is going to win all four titles or maybe just one but I’m not going to say that they don’t have personality and character.

‘What, you say they didn’t do an incredible season even when they lost the league by one or two points to us?’

City unveiled a statue of the club’s record goalscorer, Sergio Aguero, outside the Etihad Stadium yesterday morning on the 10-year anniversary of his titlewinning goal in 2012.

Guardiola has one year left on his own contract and claimed this week that he will not make a decision on his future until the end of next season.

‘The best legacy is that we have had fun,’ he added.

GETTY IS that really Sergio Aguero? Manchester City supporters were left baffled as the club unveiled a statue to mark the 10th anniversary of his title-winning goal. Many fans said it was David Silva, while others guessed Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos.