Update: |Pep Guardiola says Manchester United fans ‘should be ashamed’ after Man City star targeted News

Pep Guardiola had no time for the behaviour of some Manchester United fans during a dull Manchester derby

Pep Guardiola blasted Manchester United fans for singing derogatory chants about Phil Foden’s mum during the Manchester derby. United and Manchester City played out a dull draw at Old Trafford that was criticised for the lack of needle between the players on the pitch, but there were some barbs thrown from the stands.

Foden was subjected to derogatory chants about his mum on a number of occasions through the match, and a furious Guardiola would not stand for it after the game. The City manager was clear to differentiate those singing it from United as a club, but was clearly unhappy with what he heard.

“Lack of class – but it’s not United, it’s the people,” he said. “We are so exposed, people who are on the screen in world football – managers, owners, and football players especially.

“I don’t understand the mind of the people talking about Phil’s mum. It’s a lack of integrity, class, and they should be ashamed.

“But it is what it is. It happens everywhere, not just in the UK.”

It was another afternoon where Foden struggled in a season where he and the team have been well below their best. The Stockport star who decided the derby at the Etihad last year could not find the target at Old Trafford and was the first to be substituted, with Jack Grealish coming on.

Guardiola rejected the suggestion that Foden is low on confidence and stressed that he is seeing good things from training from the 24-year-old and others who have also received criticism. The manager stressed that the Foden that led City to the title ‘will be back; as he focuses on a strong end to the season.

“When the team is not playing at the level that we had, it looks like everyone is not what they were,” he said. “I see the passion and smile on his face every day in training and that is what I want.

“You see the numbers of players who have been four, five, six years. This year we drop and it’s all of them – that’s why we are struggling to win games but the quality is there. .

“He won the Premier League in the last games [last year], in the game against West Ham with two goals. His impact was incredible and he will be back.

“He fought, he had chances, he shot in the first half and chances that normally the ball is in the net. It happens but now is not to judge.

“We are where we are, we knew it. FA Cup semi-finals, eight games left and everyone is going to give everything and learning for the guys who played every single game, how they impacted, and this is what they’re going to do.”

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