Pep Guardiola humorously remarked that he might root for Manchester United in their upcoming match against Liverpool, but then swiftly withdrew the statement.
Guardiola’s team, Manchester City, is currently in a tight battle for the Premier League title, holding the third spot.
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Liverpool is at the forefront, and their upcoming visit to United could be one of their more challenging matches this season.
Liverpool is three points ahead of City, having won against Brighton on Sunday, while City had a dull draw with Arsenal, who are in second place.
Despite the intense rivalry between City and United, it wouldn’t be surprising if Guardiola found himself cheering for Erik ten Hag’s team this weekend.
Liverpool losing or drawing at Old Trafford could significantly open up the title race. However, Guardiola, after hinting at supporting Ten Hag’s team, quickly retracted his backing.
“Always I support United!” Guardiola joked when asked if he would support Man United. When pressed on whether he was serious, the City manager replied: “Not really, but anyway…”
Although Guardiola won’t be rooting for United, it seems he won’t be throwing his support behind Liverpool as well. With the Reds eager to secure the title during Jurgen Klopp’s last season at the helm, the stakes are high.
Guardiola has refused to join people hoping Klopp finishes his reign on a high though. He said: “I don’t have an opinion now. I had two years [ago], now I don’t have it.”
While many City supporters will be intently following the United vs. Liverpool match, Guardiola’s attention is firmly on his squad’s forthcoming fixtures.
The next challenge is Aston Villa, the most recent team to defeat City, and Guardiola is cautious of the threat posed by the team from Birmingham.
