Despite closing the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was far from pleased after his side beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 on Thursday night.
Spurs had started the game so well, going into half-time with a 2-0 lead thanks to a quick-fire double from Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal. However, City looked like a completely different team after the break - pressing high, winning their duels and netting three times in the first 18 minutes of the second half.
Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez wrapped up the scoring late on but Guardiola was still clearly agitated by his team's performance, which had been booed by the City supporters when the referee blew his whistle for half-time.
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Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, the former Bayern Munich boss said: "We play short and we play because our manager told us how to play like this and have to do this, but there is nothing from the stomach and the guts.
"We were lucky but without change sooner or later again we are going to drop points. [We are lacking] passion, desire, to win from minute one.
"It’s the same for our spectators, our fans. They are so silent for 45 minutes. It is my duty, it is my job. I want my fans back. I want my fans in here. Not my away fans - my away fans is the best.
"But my fans in here, we want support for every corner, their reaction and support, because we play, we cannot expect [to win]."
The result means that the Citizens are now five points behind first-placed Arsenal, who they are yet to play this season, although the north Londoners now have a game in hand on their title rivals.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta spent three and a half years at the Etihad Stadium as an assistant coach and Guardiola made sure to praise his mentor's side for the desire they have shown in recent times. The Spaniard continued: "We have an opponent in Arsenal who is like, they have the fire. Two decades. without winning the Premier League.
"And every player knows they will go down in history. That’s how we felt when we won the first Premier League and break all the records and another one back-to-back, and two times back-to-back.
"In life and everything we have the fire inside, it’s not, we don’t have to ask anything, I just explained the reality that is so comfortable, and opponents don’t wait. You’re telling me how bad? No, we’re second in the league, so we are not 20 points behind."
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