Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola denies 'grass' conspiracy by Liverpool fans

Liverpool’s 20-match unbeaten start to the league season was ended last Thursday as City beat them 2-1

Pep Guardiola has dismissed suggestions from Liverpool fans that he ordered Manchester City’s groundstaff to let the Etihad Stadium grass grow long for the sides’ recent Premier League meeting.

Liverpool’s 20-match unbeaten start to the league season was ended last Thursday as City beat them 2-1.

Afterwards, The Anfield Wrap, a Liverpool fan podcast, suggested that City wanted the grass long to stop Jurgen Klopp’s side playing a quick passing game.

City’s head groundsman Lee Jackson subsequently rejected those claims on Twitter, describing it as “the fakest of fake news” and adding: “God forbid they just weren’t good enough on the night.”

Liverpool are still four points clear at the top of the Premier League despite that defeat, with City their closest challengers.

Guardiola made clear that he wants to catch them by fair means, and that he would never resort to underhand tactics to try to turn the title race in his favour.

He said: “I’m not the green keeper. I never spoke to the groundsman about this. If Liverpool want to play quick, we want to play quicker. We never tried to manipulate it.

“In the past, I have asked for pitches to be watered, but it was not necessary here because of the conditions; it rained a lot.

“In all my 10 years as a manager, I have wanted to create better conditions for both teams. I never tried to play a trick. You win the game on the pitch with the rules the same for everybody.

“I never speak to the groundsman. I have too many issues in my head to think about that. I trust the groundsman. I never made a phone call to say: ‘Do this kind of thing to damage our opponents.’ Always we do things to try to win in the best way.”

Guardiola’s City side remain in contention to win four trophies this season, and will try to make progress in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening when League One side Burton visit the Etihad Stadium in the first leg of their semi-final.

He fielded a strong side for Sunday’s 7-0 FA Cup third-round victory over Rotherham, despite making eight changes, with Kevin De Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez, Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan, Nicolas Otamendi and Gabriel Jesus all starting.

Guardiola is expected to field a similar line-up to face Burton, although he must decide whether to retain academy graduate Phil Foden in midfield.

Foden’s opportunities have been limited, with the City manager wanting to use the England Uner-21 international sparingly as he continues his development.

The difficulties of breaking into the senior side for City’s youngsters has been thrown into sharper focus with the recent departure of Spanish midfielder Brahim Diaz to Real Madrid.

Guardiola, though, is adamant that the only way more young players will break into the Premier League is if development football in England becomes more competitive.

He said: “Create a good second league and you will see how many young players come into the Premier League.

“Play against real teams, against guys of 24, 25, 26 years old. Compete every weekend with real games, fighting to survive – then the managers in the Premier League will have more courage to pick them, but they only play friendly games.”