Featured Image Credit: TNT Sports
Topics: Pep Guardiola, Champions League, Manchester City, Brentford
Josh Lawless
Topics: Pep Guardiola, Champions League, Manchester City, Brentford
A lip-reading expert has revealed what Pep Guardiola told Stefan Ortega in an animated discussions following Manchester City's 2-2 with Brentford on Tuesday night.
City were 2-0 up and cruising after a brace from Phil Foden had the Premier League champions on the verge of a fourth consecutive victory.
But Yoane Wissa pulled one back for Thomas Frank's side shortly, before Christian Norgaard bagged a last-gasp equaliser to make it 2-2.
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Though they were playing the side with the second-best home record in the Premier League this season, it was a disappointing collapse in the final 10 minutes from City and Guardiola looked visibly frustrated at the final whistle.
He was involved in passionate exchanges with both Josko Gvardiol and Ortega, with it looking like he shouted at the German goalkeeper on a number of occasions.
At the same time though, the 52-year-old hugged and kissed Ortega and later claimed his conversations with two of his players were positive.
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"How good he (Gvardiol) played," Guardiola explained in a post-match interview.
"He played an incredible game. We talked about one action but it's the same with Ortega - I said how good he played, how good he passed to Erling, how satisfied I am with especially these two players."
However, a lip-reading expert has shed new light on what Guardiola said to Ortega. Though he backed up Guardiola's version of events that he was complimentary of the 32-year-old, Jeremy Freeman told the Daily Mail that the former Barcelona boss told him that he ought to "take that yellow".
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The alleged comment would appear to be indicating that Guardiola wanted Ortega to take a yellow card for slowing the game down by killing some time.
City were not able to wind down the clock in the latter stages and conceded a costly leveller in stoppage time.
Goalscorer Foden admitted that City suffered from fatigue in the latter stages after being in control, telling TNT Sports: "We just looked tired at the end, the last 20 minutes,” said Foden.
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“We looked a bit leggy, they put the pressure on and put the ball into the box. I don’t think we coped with the physicality at the end.”
Guardiola was asked about Foden's comments and pinpointed Fodne as one of the players who lost sharpness, saying: “That’s why I replaced him," in a post-match presser.