Jamie Carragher claps back at Pep Guardiola with ‘nation state’ jibe at Man City

Jamie Carragher has hit back at Pep Guardiola’s comments with a jibe of his own

Jamie Carragher has hit back at Pep Guardiola’s comments following Man City’s draw at the weekend (Getty Images)

Jamie Carragher hit back at Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City manager took aim at the Sky Sports pundit after Manchester City’s latest draw at the weekend.

After the game, the treble-winning manager during a surprise six-minute breakdown of City’s performance live on television, predicted a fourth successive title, and asked Sky Sports’ pundits which of their broadcasters had won four Premier League titles in a row.

Manchester City have been held to three successive draws, but Guardiola staunchly defended his players, while name-checking football pundits such as Carragher and Gary Neville.

“I don’t have anything to say about the pundits. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think it’s about complacency. I know the players, I know how they run. How we behave is extraordinary,” the City boss said.

“He knows how difficult it is otherwise Gary Neville would’ve won four Premier Leagues in the best period of Manchester United. But he didn’t do it.”

Guardiola had words for Neville, Carragher and Richards after his side’s third successive draw (Getty Images)

Guardiola added: “Jamie Carragher didn’t win one (league title). Micah Richards didn’t win four Premier Leagues in a row. Never, ever.

“It’s never happened. There is more chance of if it not happening than happening. Just one Treble before us. It’s so difficult to do it again and again. We don’t have what others have, who haven’t done it for many, many years.”

It was Neville who mentioned complacency, while Carragher’s comments were largely concerned with the title race being more open this season, while former City player Richards said something “isn’t right” at the Etihad.

Carragher made his reply to Guardiola’s comments on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: “I think I’d probably won one if Liverpool were owned by a nation state, and pushed the rules so far that the PL (Premier League) charged us 115 times!

“I was actually praising Pep’s team after the game on Sunday.” Carragher followed the comment with a shrug and laughing-cry emojis.

Guardiola also defended his City players’ conduct after they surrounded referee Simon Hooper to protest when Erling Haaland was denied the chance to play advantage after being fouled, and the club has since been charged with failing to control their players over the incident.