Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega has been told his comments on Liverpool will not go down well with Etihad bosses. The City shot-stopper had been between the sticks at Anfield on Sunday as Arne Slot's squad clinched a 2-0 victory against the reigning champions.
Tasked with stepping in for the underperforming Ederson, the German goalkeeper pulled off several key saves after Cody Gakpo broke the deadlock but conceded a penalty late in the game by fouling Luis Diaz.
Mohamed Salah made no mistake with the subsequent penalty, doubling Liverpool's advantage shortly after he faltered from the spot against Real Madrid. Liverpool has now opened up an impressive gap, sitting 11 points clear of Pep Guardiola's side.
Guardiola himself engaged with the Anfield faithful, who were chanting 'you're getting sacked in the morning', with a cheeky six-finger salute indicating the six Premier League titles secured since his tenure began in Manchester back in 2016.
Ortega's comments following the match has drawn the wrath of Liverpudlians, after giving what many saw as a slight against their city. Recounting his boss' in-the-moment reaction, he observed: "Someone told me before that this area [Liverpool] is probably not the best part in the UK. I think the manager reacted really well."
Ex-Premier League boss Alan Pardew didn't mince his words on talkSPORT's The Final Word, calling the keeper's comments "stupid" adding: "He shouldn't have said that, absolutely not. It's the frustration, the anger, the pressure. And then saying something stupid like that, he'll regret that.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 01: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Stefan Ortega of Manchester City bringing down Luis Diaz of Liverpool for a penalty during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City FC at Anfield on December 01, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Ortega gives the penalty away for fouling Luis Diaz (Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
"And he's going to regret it quite soon because he'll be getting a few texts, and a few messages I'm sure onto his mobile phone from the hierarchy at his football club.
"We can't hold him [Ortega] to court over that, it's a stupid error to say. It just goes to show you the depth of pressure that is on you as a Premier League player, Premier League manager. Pep coming out doing the six signal, and all that, it's all part of the process. It draws you out, this game. It brings out the best in you sometimes, but it can also bring out the worst in you."