Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho 'not surprised' to see Pep Guardiola go unpunished

Guardiola was told to calm down by referee Paul Tierney after encroaching onto the field of play while celebrating Sterling’s 96th-minute strike in his side’s 2-1 victory on Wednesday

Pep Guardiola celebrates Raheem Sterling's later winner against Southampton (Getty)

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has claimed he was “not surprised” to see Pep Guardiola go unpunished for running onto the pitch after Raheem Sterling’s late winner for Manchester City against Southampton.

Guardiola was told to calm down by referee Paul Tierney after encroaching onto the field of play while celebrating Sterling’s 96th-minute strike in his side’s 2-1 victory on Wednesday.

The Catalan apologised to Tierney for his over-zealousness and the official decided to take no further action, with Guardiola remaining in the City dugout until the final whistle.

Mourinho, however, was sent to the stands during a 1-0 win over Southampton at St Mary’s in September after fourth official Mike Jones spotted the United manager step onto the pitch.

Last season, Mourinho complained that rules regarding behaviour on the touchline “must to be the same for every manager” and on Friday, ahead of his side's trip to Arsenal, he was asked whether he was surprised by the inconsistency in the decisions.

“Surprised? No. Not surprised,” the United manager said, though he was reluctant to explain why he had expected that Guardiola would not be sent to the stands.

“I can't answer the second question,” Mourinho added. “If you are my friends don't ask me the question because you know I get into problems.”

Though Guardiola escaped punishment for running onto the pitch, the City manager has been asked by the Football Association to explain his post-match conversation with Southampton's Nathan Redmond.

Television images captured Guardiola speaking in an animated and aggressive manner with Redmond on the pitch after the final whistle, though both he and the player insist that it was a friendly exchange.