Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has hit back at Sky Sports pundits, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher for claiming he has fallen out with midfielder, Kevin De Bruyne.
Neville and Carragher both pointed to Guardiola not starting De Bruyne in City’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday.
De Bruyne played the last 12 minutes at Anfield and Neville described the situation between Guardiola and De Bruyne as “bizarre and strange”, while Carragher suggested “something was going on” between the pair.
But Guardiola has now said: “People say I’ve got a problem with Kevin. Do you think I like to not play with Kevin? That I don’t want Kevin to play?
“The guy who has the most talent in the final third? I don’t want it? That I have a personal problem with him after nine years together?
“He’s delivered to me the biggest success for this club. But he’s been injured for five months and two months. He’s 33-years-old. He needs time to find his best, like last season, step by step. He’ll try to do it and feel better.
“I’d love to have Kevin in his prime, at 26 or 27. He would love it, too. But he’s not 26 or 27 anymore. He’s had injuries in the past, important and long ones. He’s a guy who needs to be physically fit for his space and energy.”
EPL: Guardiola clears air on his ‘fight’ with De Bruyne
