Manchester City thrashed RB Leipzig 6-3 in an entertaining Champions League encounter at the Etihad on Wednesday night with Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez getting on the scoresheet
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Guardiola tells Grealish to emulate Sterling with goal return
Pep Guardiola has explained his angry outburst at Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez after being seen screaming in their faces at the Etihad.
The incident was spotted as Manchester City emerged victorious from their enthralling Champions League clash against RB Leipzig.
The Premier League champions romped to a 6-3 win in their first group stage game to hand them a vital three points.
Among the goalscorers were Grealish, on the first European game of his career, and Mahrez from the penalty spot.
But Guardiola was less than pleased with the pair at half-time as the players descended on their way down to the tunnel to their dressing rooms.
The Catalan coach could be seen barking in their faces and he has gone some way to explain his antics.
Guardiola admitted he was less than pleased with their defensive efforts, telling BT Sport: “We spoke in half-time about the way we have to do it and they didn’t do it. Fights happen.
“They are so good, they make four players in the build up to attract you behind the holding midfielders where there aren’t a lot of players, where the ball goes outside and they are so fast when they attack in behind.
“It’s not easy to control it but when you regain that ball there are many players in front of the ball and in the transition to make one or two passes in behind you have a chance to attack.”
City raced into a 3-1 lead at half-time but Christopher Nkunku’s hat-trick made the game 4-3 to the home side to give Guardiola something to think about.
But an absolute rocket from Joao Cancelo and a tap-in from Gabriel Jesus put the result to bed whereas early in the second-half, Grealish scored his first Champions League goal when he cut in from the left-flank before dispatching an expert finish.
“I loved it,” said the England international. “I’ve been waiting a while. The past few weeks, I couldn’t wait for this game, it’s been a great night.
“For my goal, the ball came to me and when I’m in that position, running into the area, I’d back myself one on one against anyone to have a go and it paid off.
“I’m delighted to come away with my goal and an assist. As soon as the game kicked off, I said to myself in my head ‘I’m actually playing in the Champions League’.
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“Just with the music and everything, it was so nice and the goal topped it all off.”
The £100m man was also asked about the argument he had with Guardiola but he did not want to delve too much into the incident.
He said: “That was just defensive work, I won’t go too much into it because he might want the same tactics at the weekend.
“That’s what the manager is like, he’s always wanting more defensively and offensively, and he’s obviously someone that I’m going to listen to after everything he’s done in the game. He’s just giving out useful information.”
