Pep Guardiola reacts over Solskjaer foul claims

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has dismissed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s claim that the Citizens will use tactical fouling to prevent Manchester United from counter-attacking in Wednesday’s crucial derby.

Guardiola’s City need a win to go back above Liverpool in the Premier League title race, while United will be looking to reignite their hopes of top-four finish at Old Trafford.

United manager Solskjaer said on Tuesday morning that he had ‘no doubt’ that City will ‘snap at your ankles and heels and kick you.’

When informed of Solskajer’s comments, Guardiola said: “Did he say that? With 75 per cent the average, or 65-70 per cent average of the ball, how do you do that?

“I never prepare a game in my 10 seasons as a manager thinking about these kind of things, never. And my players can talk better than me about that. The players who I had in Barcelona, Bayern Munich and here.

“I’m concerned about many, many other things about the game we have to play to beat them than these kind of things. Tomorrow in the press conference after the game you can ask him (Solskjaer) again about that.”