As Pep Guardiola sat down to his post-game press conference, there were a few comments that could have been construed as swipes. He referred to Tottenham defending with nine men, and said he wouldn’t again describe them as “the Harry Kane team” as he didn’t want to upset Mauricio Pochettino. In truth, though, none of this was delivered with enough energy to feel any way deliberate as barbs. There wasn’t much energy at all, which was pretty much like his Manchester City team in their 1-0 defeat to Spurs.
The difference with his press conference after his previous match against the same opposition, just a few weeks ago, couldn’t have been more pronounced. It was then that Guardiola went on an impassioned monologue, referring to “happy flowers”. While his meaning was often difficult to decipher, the intention wasn’t.
