Pep Guardiola has hit back at Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher for claiming he's had a bust-up with Kevin De Bruyne.
The pundits suggested Guardiola had a problem with De Bruyne in the wake of Manchester City's crushing defeat at Liverpool last weekend. De Bruyne has not started for the Premier League champions in recent weeks – and Guardiola used him as a substitute in the last five games.
The Belgium international looked less than impressed when he was sent on at Anfield moments after Manchester City had gone 2-0 down last Sunday. And Guardiola's treatment of the midfielder has been called into question, not least because City are currently on an astonishing seven-game winless run.
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Neville described the situation as "bizarre", while Carragher suggested "something was going on" between Guardiola and De Bruyne.
But Guardiola has blasted back, telling the duo there is no rift and that he's been trying to protect De Bruyne following a spell of serious injuries. Guardiola said: "People say I have a problem with Kevin.
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have had their say on the City situation (Image: Getty Images)
"Do you think I would not like to play Kevin? That I don't want Kevin to play, the guy who has the most talent in the final third? I don't want him? We've been together for nine years, but he's been injured for nine weeks and is 33 years old, so he needs time.
"I'm desperate to have his best, and I would love to have the Kevin of 25, 26, 27, 28 years old. He would love it. But he is not that [age] any more. He has injuries in the past, important and long ones, and he needs to be physically fit for his space and energy.
"I know he's desperate to help us. He has a brilliance that only he has. But for himself he's not going to solve our problems, like Erling Haaland doesn't solve our problems.
"We always attack and defend together. Football is like that. We want the best players back and hopefully step by step, he has minutes and results can help us to get the best of him."