Pep’s City selection ‘is a joke’
transfers at City, said: “We didn’t have any players. They are injured.
“I’d like to have 18 players and could have called on one of the second team, but they played yesterday.”
But TV pundit Gary Neville ripped into the City manager, and said: “I was really hoping he wasn’t going to give the answer that he did. It’s a joke, an absolute joke.
“Forget the second team – even if they played yesterday, still bring one on the bench.
“I don’t know why he is peddling that story. It’s poor to not bring a young player. It’s really poor.”
The result saw City temporarily move 16 points clear at the top of the table, but Guardiola refused to accept Jose Mourinho’s title surrender. The Manchester United boss had insisted the Blues were out of sight, but the City boss was not biting.
Guardiola noted: “Jose said what he did and I am saying something different. You can believe who you want to believe.
“But there are still 36 points to play for and football is unpredictable.
“You never know what can happen.”
Raheem Sterling missed an open goal, with his team leading 1-0 – and was substituted just 90 seconds later.
But Guardiola refused to blame his 19-goal winger for two dropped points.
He said: “I didn’t substitute him because of that. That’s football, the next time he will score.”
He added: “Of course, we are sad for the dropped two points, but to come to Burnley and play the way we played is almost impossible. We controlled the long balls and we had some amazing build-ups.”