‘I apologised for what Man City squad did in Man Utd dressing room after fight broke out’

Manchester City’s matches against Manchester United have been fiery affairs in recent years, but one clash in particular will long be remembered for what happened after the final whistle

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola issued an apology after some bad blood in the aftermath of his team’s derby win in 2017. However, even when doing so, he made the case that all he and his players wanted to do was to celebrate their win.

Guardiola won his first Old Trafford derby against United in 2016 before leading his team to a goalless draw in the reverse fixture. They had won 14 of their first 15 games when they returned to the home of their neighbours in December 2017, when Nicolas Otamendi’s winner secured them all three points.

After the game, United boss Jose Mourinho felt City went too far with their celebrations. He exchanged words with City keeper Ederson, while the fallout from the game saw a fracas involving players and staff, with Mourinho having milk thrown at him and Mikel Arteta, at the time part of Guardiola’s coaching staff at City, getting cut by a drinks container.

In total, up to 20 players and staff were reportedly involved in the post-match fight. Arteta was seen bleeding, and covered his face when snapped arriving at City training the day after the game.

The noise made during the City celebrations had clearly angered Mourinho. An apology did arrive from Guardiola, even if he didn’t appear to feel his charges were in the wrong.

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“We have to enjoy those moments. If the people cannot understand that then I’m sorry. We won a derby,” Guardiola said, explaining he apologised if his squad’s behaviour offended United as a whole rather than Mourinho or any other person individually.

“If we were not correct than I apologise to all of Manchester United. Our intentions was not that. It was to celebrate inside the locker room.”

Speaking two days after the game, Mourinho argued the derby discussion took away from United’s following fixture against Bournemouth. “He says, he says,” the Portuguese said of Guardiola.

“I’m not here to comment on his words. The only thing I can say is that for me [it] was just a question of diversity, diversity in behaviours, diversity in education, just that and nothing more than that.

“This press conference is pre-Bournemouth, it’s not post-Manchester City, that was already done, and this press conference is pre-Bournemouth. I know but I keep saying this is pre-Bournemouth.”

On the pitch, City’s win took them 11 points clear of their rivals before the turn of the year. They won their next three league games as well, scoring 12 goals in the process, and ended the season with a Premier League record 100 points.

They lost just once at home all season, but that was against Mourinho’s United in April when the visitors came back from 2-0 down to claim all three points. City made no mistake the following season, though, winning home and away in what would prove to be Mourinho’s final season as United boss.

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