Guardiola: Mourinho Wrong To Blame Ref For Derby Defeat, City Not Champions Yet

chester City manager Pep Guardiola has dismissed Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho’s claim that the referee is to blame for United’s defeat in Sunday’s Manchester derby.

A dominant City side edged United 2-1 at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday to go 11 points clear in the league table.

Goals from David Silva and Nicolas Otamendi in either half secured the win for City, while Marcus Rashford got United’s goal.

“Last season it was the same – we won here and it was the referee,” Guardiola said in his post-match press conference when told Mourinho has blamed referee Michael Oliver for not awarding United a penalty. ” Today as well. Yesterday he spoke about the referee. We are an honest team. We had 75% ball possession, which means we wanted to play. We came here and did that.”

Guardiola also disagreed with his Portuguese counterpart that City players dive, stating his team deserved to win.

“It’s not true that my players go down easily. That is not an argument I believe.”

“We won in Old Trafford again, that is why I am the most pleased and of course for the three points. We played good, with a lot of courage. I’m so satisfied.

“We won because we were better. We are still in December, if we have 11 points when we play the second derby in April then maybe I will tell you that we have the title.”

Guardiola expressed his delight that his brand of football is beginning to take shape in the Premier League.

“The personality to play here is what I want. We can play this way in England. People said we couldn’t play the way we did in Barcelona in England but it is possible and we did it.

“I knew that last season. Always I believed we could do it. Everyone can play how they want, that’s why football is so beautiful. I’m happy to go to Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford and to beat them in this way.

“Football is incredible. We spoke about how to play United but never set-pieces offensively, and then we score two. Football is unpredictable.

“This win means a lot in the way we played for our confidence but in three days we go to Swansea in the winter time. We are going to face a lot of difficulties. In December it’s impossible to be champions but it’s good for us.”

And on Vincent Kompany going off injured: “Vinnie is always like this – unfortunately we can’t count on him for a long time.”