Man City boss Pep Guardiola pays West Ham the ultimate insult but makes Julen Lopetegui claim. Manchester City inflicted their usual defeat on West Ham going into the international break and now Pep Guardiola has paid them the ultimate insult.
Relations between West Ham and Manchester City have always been friendly on and off the pitch. The Hammers and Man City are two clubs for working class people who have spent much of their history living in the shadows of their rivals.
There was much mutual celebration when West Ham and Manchester City were both crowned champions of Europe last summer.
The friendship between the two sets of fans can be charted back to a famous game between West Ham and Man City in 1987. So it’s quite fitting that the new head coach in the Hammers hotseat Julen Lopetegui and Man City boss Pep Guardiola are close too.
The Spaniards were teammates many years ago at Barcelona and remain good friends.
Man City boss Guardiola pays West Ham the ultimate insult
That was evident pre and post the meeting between the Irons and Guardiola’s champions on Saturday. Man City’s manager gave the Hammers big billing before the game.
He described West Ham’s window as ‘incredible’ and admitted they have serious weaponry up front. When Saturday came, though, so did the now all too inevitable defeat and Erling Haaland show.
West Ham felt a touch hard done by to lose 3-1 – gifting Man City three simple goals and missing a host of chances at the other end. It was a second consecutive home Premier League defeat to kick off the Lopetegui era in east London.
Hammers fans have been looking for positives to cling on to during the boredom of the international break. But Man City boss Guardiola has instead paid West Ham the ultimate insult.
Although he has made a big claim about Lopetegui.
Guardiola likened victories over Chelsea, Ipswich and West Ham to pre-season friendlies. And the Spaniard rather pompously suggested Man City’s season starts for real after the international break.
“The schedule that comes from now on until the end of the season will be difficult,” Guardiola told Man City’s website when reflecting on the win over West Ham.
“That’s what I said (to the players).
“Pre-season is over today (after West Ham). It’s over officially.
“The real season starts after the international break.”
Wow. How’s that for arrogance. In Guardiola’s defence he and his side do back it up. At least the Spaniard did have something positive to say about Lopetegui.
Guardiola backs ‘amazing’ Lopetegui for West Ham success
Speaking to the press after inflicting the 3-1 defeat on the Hammers at the London Stadium, Guardiola urged fans to stick with Lopetegui because he is ‘one of the most amazing managers around’. “He’s a close friend and one of the most amazing managers I’ve met,” Guardiola said.
“All of the managers in their first season started well but we didn’t win anything. “It is a question of time and he will do it. We’ve had a friendship for many years and I wish him all the best.”
A big plus for West Ham is that one of the games against Manchester City this season is now out of the way. Jamie Redknapp already sees clear progress at West Ham under Lopetegui.
The Sky Sports pundit highlighted the fact the Hammers have had a tough start as a reason it’s not been more pronounced. Meanwhile Clinton Morrison believes West Ham will do big things this season after winning the transfer window.
