Pep praises his 'honest' leaders

Guardiola bites back at Mourinho diving digs after Old Trafford win

MANCHESTER, England - Pep Guardiola said Manchester City's triumph in the Manchester derby was a victory for the honesty of his players and their brand of soccer following criticism from Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho.

Set-piece goals from David Silva and Nicolas Otamendi earned City a 2-1 win at a snow-flecked Old Trafford on Sunday, propeling Guardiola's side 11 points clear of second-place United at the Premier League summit.

Mourinho had accused City's players of diving and committing "tactical fouls" prior to the game, and afterwards he made an unconvincing claim his team should have been awarded a late penalty when Ander Herrera was booked for diving.

But Guardiola said: "We won because we were better. In all departments, we were better."

Guardiola is accustomed to Mourinho's barbs from their time working in Spain as Barcelona and Real Madrid managers, respectively.

And the City boss said his old adversary was up to his old tricks again.

"The message was the same in Barcelona: our players diving," Guardiola told his post-match news conference.

"When a team has the courage to have 65, 70, 75 percent average ball possession in all the games, it's because it's an honest team.

"It's because they want to play. And that is what we have done. We are clear, we are open. We want the ball, want to attack, we want to try to win the games in the way we believe.

"The others can do whatever they want. My players want to play, want to attack. Sometimes they're quicker, sometimes they're faster, but they're not a team which tries to look for something special (by diving).

"Because we are honest."

In a classic example of Mourinho mischief-making, the United boss had also questioned Guardiola's right to wear a yellow ribbon in solidarity with the jailed Catalan separatist leaders Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sanchez.

Guardiola does not appear to have breached any UEFA or Football Association regulations (only offensive messages are banned from being displayed), and he delivered an impassioned defense of the ribbon gesture after the match, saying he intended to show his support for the pair "even if they suspend me".

While City were the dominant team, it took a dazzling double save from Ederson to thwart Romelu Lukaku and Juan Mata late in the game.

Mourinho was aggrieved by an incident prior to that when Spanish midfielder Herrera flopped to the ground over Otamendi's foot and was booked - correctly, replays indicated - by referee Michael Oliver for simulation.

'Unlucky decision'

Mourinho, whose team briefly drew level through Marcus Rashford, claimed it was a "huge penalty" and said the goals his side conceded, both of which stemmed from fluffed Lukaku clearances, were "disgraceful".

"Yes, they had much more of the ball, yes they had that apparent control of the game," Mourinho said.

"But the biggest save is the double save of their goalkeeper and the biggest decision of the game is the unlucky decision of Michael (Oliver)."

He added: "Manchester City are a very good team and they are protected by the luck and the gods of football are behind them."

Asked whether the title was now irretrievable, Mourinho conceded: "Probably, yes."

Guardiola was more circumspect, instead opting to congratulate his players on becoming the first team in the history of the English top flight to win 14 straight games within the same season.

"You cannot be champions in December," he said.

"It's important for our confidence to feel that we can compete on big stages with huge personality. Of course we are so happy. But it's December.

"We have three days (before playing Swansea City), no recovery. In (another) three days, Tottenham Hotspur. We'll see where we are in March and April.

"But of course we're so glad and so happy to win 14 games in a row."

Agence France - presse