Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega has shockingly declared that the city of Liverpool is ‘probably not the best part’ of the United Kingdom.
An angry Ortega made the comment after City lost 2-0 to Arne Slot’s Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday in a huge blow to their top-flight title hopes.
During the match, Liverpool fans taunted Guardiola by telling him he’d be ‘sacked’ in the morning amid seven winless games across all competitions.
Ortega, sharing his reaction, took aim at the entire city of Liverpool and said: ‘Someone told me before that this area [Liverpool] is probably not the best part in the UK. I think the manager reacted really well.’
Liverpool and City have been engaged in a tense rivalry in recent seasons, which arguably peaked in 2019-20 when the Reds won the Premier League under Jurgen Klopp.
After Klopp left Anfield at the end of last season, it was thought that Liverpool would enter a period of transition under new boss Arne Slot.
But it has not panned out that way, with Slot’s side very much in contention to lift this season’s Premier League trophy.
After their 2-0 win over title rivals City, Liverpool are nine points clear of second-placed Arsenal and third-placed Chelsea with 13 games played.
Football pundit Gary Neville firmly believes Liverpool are now ‘strong favourites’ to land this season’s Premier League title.
‘None of us expected it,’ Neville told Sky Sports. ‘I think Liverpool fans expected it.
‘They may have expected them to finish in the top four but it’s absolutely brilliant what Arne Slot’s done and it gets really serious. It’s gone from being a honeymoon period, a great start to hang on a minute.
‘There’s a real expectation but they’ll be very, very strong favourites. Nine points clear of Arsenal, 11 points clear of Manchester City and there’s still four or five months to go. The title race doesn’t start until April. We’re just in early December.
‘I’m not saying Liverpool are going to win the league. I still think there’s a long way to go. But there is no doubt that now there’ll be an expectation.’