Guardiola bites back at ‘bullsh*t’ criticism of Man City but admits they are a ‘happy flowers team'

• Blues battled their way to win over Spurs
• Not at their free-flowing best this season
• Still in the hunt for domestic & continental crowns

WHAT HAPPENED? The demanding Catalan coach was far from impressed by the performance of his side or the attitude of those in the stands despite seeing City recover from trailing 2-0 at half-time against Tottenham to claim a 4-2 victory in their latest Premier League outing. After the contest Guardiola was quizzed again on why the Citizens are supposedly falling short of the standards they have set over recent years, with more questions being asked of their ability to stake a claim for an elusive Champions League crown, and an angry response was delivered by a tactician who has won 11 trophies during his reign at the Etihad Stadium.

WHAT THEY SAID: Guardiola said: “People say we haven't had success because we haven't won the Champions League - bullsh*t! We won a lot. Two back-to-back [Premier Leagues] in this country, and the way we played, the consistency, against this Liverpool. What a success.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Guardiola added when pressed on why he was suddenly being so animated about events on and off the field, with City fans making little noise against Spurs before booing the home side from the field at half-time: “I want a reaction – not just from players, staff, the whole organisation. We are a happy flowers team, I don't want this. I want to beat Arsenal. I cannot deny how happy we are [to win]. But we are far away from the team that we were. There are many things that we are far away, far away. We play because 'my manager told me to do this and this' – but there is nothing from the stomach, the guts. We were lucky, and if we don't change, sooner or later we are going to drop points. No passion, fire, desire to win from minute one.”

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Victory over Spurs has seen City close to within five points of Premier League leaders Arsenal, albeit having played a game more than the Gunners, and they will be back in action on Sunday when welcoming Wolves to the Etihad.