Pep Guardiola offers support to Jack Grealish and Phil Foden after troubling Manchester derby incidents | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has reflected on Jack Grealish being slapped on his face and a derogatory chant aimed at Phil Foden from last weekend’s goalless draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

City played out a disappointing draw against Ruben Amorim’s side to drop down to sixth place in the Premier League table, which leaves the reigning English champions with seven games to cement a top five finish and secure UEFA Champions League football next term.

However, despite the lack of quality on the pitch across both sides, it was not footballing matters that made the headlines from Old Trafford last week, with a 20-year-old man arrested for slapping Jack Grealish in the face at the end of the game.

Videos were widely circulated on social media showing an in-game incident, wherein a section of Manchester United supporters made a derogatory chant aimed at Phil Foden’s mother – another incident condemned by Guardiola in his post-match press conference.

Football stadiums have gradually evolved into increasingly violent, aggressive venues filled with emotions and adrenaline but there does come a point where fan emotion and what is termed as ‘banter’ can not justify inexcusable actions.

Ahead of Crystal Palace’s visit to the Etihad Stadium for a lunch-time kick off on Saturday afternoon, Guardiola was asked for his thoughts on the incidents involving Grealish and Foden from the Manchester derby.

The 54-year-old said: “It’s happening everywhere. It’s a crazy world, right? Everything that happens all around the world, not just in sport, the issues. Nobody is away from that. It’s not about (Manchester) United, because United is beyond the person that doesn’t defend what United is, or what happens sometimes in our club.

“But it’s not a problem about a specific club, a specific department in world football, it happens everywhere. Just take a look around and you’ll realise that. I think we are not on the right path.”

Appearing on camera, Foden was understandably shocked at the demeaning chant aimed at his mother and appeared to react to the section of Manchester United supporters where this obscenity originated.

Asked if Foden has been coping well since the shocking incident, Guardiola added: “He doesn’t feel good, but move forward,” and after a frustrating season on the pitch for last season’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year, Foden would love nothing more than a strong finish to the season.