MANCHESTER, England – Pep Guardiola sharply criticized certain Manchester United supporters for directing abusive chants towards Phil Foden’s mother during Sunday’s Manchester derby. The offensive remarks targeted Foden, a forward for Manchester City, during their 0-0 stalemate at Old Trafford.
Guardiola described the behavior as “a lack of class,” emphasizing that it reflected poorly on the individuals rather than Manchester United as a club. “It’s a lack of integrity, class, and they should be ashamed,” he commented. He also pointed out that similar incidents are not confined to the U.K. but are happening worldwide.
The Manchester derby is a highly intense rivalry in English football, but Guardiola felt that United fans crossed a line by involving the family of England international Foden. “We are so exposed, the people on the screen in the world of football — managers, owners, and football players especially,” Guardiola explained. “I honestly don’t understand what’s on people’s minds when they involve Phil’s mum.”
Foden found it challenging to influence the game in what turned out to be a disappointing derby, extending a lackluster season for last year’s English player of the year. At 24, Foden has not scored in 13 consecutive games and has netted only 10 goals across 40 matches as City’s current season struggles to maintain the previous year’s Premier League success.
Despite these challenges, Guardiola stood by Foden. “When the team is not playing at the level that we had, it appears everyone is not as they were. I see the passion and smile on his face every day in training, and that’s what I want,” he stated. “His impact was incredible, and he will be back.”