Pep Guardiola turns up the heat on Manchester City’s big-spending rivals

Pep Guardiola used sarcasm and statistics to defend Manchester City against claims the club’s success is down to money.

The City manager pointed out six rival clubs have outspent his over the past five years and challenged them to better his team on the field.

City spent £82.5million to bolster their squad in the January transfer window with the signings of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi, continuing a squad overhaul that began last year.

Guardiola feels there is a perception City will continue splashing out in pursuit of the success they crave, while other clubs with larger recent expenditure are given an easier ride.

In terms of net spend, the latest deals took City’s outlay over the past five years to £396million, behind Manchester United (£675m), Arsenal (£663m), Chelsea (£651m), Tottenham (£574m), Newcastle (£424m) and Liverpool (£420m), according to figures from Transfermarkt.

Guardiola said: “I’m a little bit sad and upset because in net spend the last five years we are seventh in the Premier League.

“I want to be the first, I don’t understand why the club don’t spend more money! I am a little bit grumpy with them!

“But, like we won in the past because we spent a lot, now six teams have to win the Premier Leagues, Champions Leagues and FA Cups because they spent more in the last five years.

“These are facts. It’s not an opinion. You can say an opinion, like you say we played good or bad against Spurs – we can agree or disagree.

“But they are facts. Good luck to the six teams who are in front of us for net spend for the last five years. Let’s go. I’m waiting.”

Guardiola was speaking at a press conference ahead of the second leg of City’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

City go into the game holding a 2-0 aggregate advantage and Guardiola has his sights set on a fifth triumph in the competition.

“This is the point of today and tomorrow,” Guardiola said. “We have a chance to make our fifth final in 10 years in the Carabao Cup.

“Of course I prefer to start 2-0 up but I know, from how many times we’ve played against Newcastle, the pride they have as a Champions League team.

“We have to be prepared and see how the players recover from a tough game at Spurs and play our game with our people and our fans and try to reach Wembley in March.”

City surrendered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at Spurs on Sunday, continuing a recent trend of fading performances in the second halves of games.

“It’s a reality,” Guardiola said. “It’s a young team, the youngest side we’ve had in 10 years, and maybe we need to live it. We have to grow with that.”

Guehi is ineligible to face Newcastle and Rayan Cherki, who suffered a knock against Spurs, will be assessed.