Jurgen Klopp: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola backs Liverpool boss in FA Cup debate

Klopp intends to field a reserve team in a replay against Shrewsbury

Pep Guardiola has offered his support to Jurgen Klopp as the Liverpool manager faces criticism for his treatment of the FA Cup.

Klopp intends to field a reserve team for Liverpool’s fourth round replay against Shrewsbury next month as it will fall during the Premier League’s scheduled winter break.

The Liverpool manager also controversially said he will not take charge of the team himself and hand the reins to Under-23s boss Neil Critchley.

Guardiola has tended to field strong sides in domestic cup competitions since arriving at Manchester City in 2016, but supported Klopp’s decision to name a weakened side.

“Listen, we accept the schedules of the competitions, the games every two or three days, but don’t tell the manager which the selection he has to choose, please,” he said. “That’s our job.

“They do what they want to do and we will be there – which day, at this time, we’ll be there – but it’s not for them to tell us which players we have to play in games. That’s our duty.”

Guardiola also rowed back on his comments about City’s supporters, made after their fourth round win over Fulham on Sunday.

The City manager had called on supporters to get behind their team after being disappointed with a crowd of just 39,223 at the 55,000-seater Etihad.

Guardiola was criticised the club’s official supporters’ group for failing to understand financial pressures on fans at this busy time of year, not long after Christmas.

“First of all, of course I understand it,” he said. “Of course I understand it. Never was it my intention to offend them. They are part of us.

“But since I arrived here from day one until the last day what i want is fight and play as good as possible to see Etihad Stadium full every single game.

“It belongs to us to play good to seduce them to come because the only reason why we do our job and I do my job is not for the titles, it’s to go to the Etihad Stadium and see is absolutely full with people, together enjoying games together because when we win and they are not satisfied it is not a reason to be there.

“But of course I understands it’s difficult for the people to do that, it’s not necessary to tell me because I was part of that when I was a little boy with mum and dad so I know exactly what happened.”