Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has responded to accusations that he showed no respect with his celebrations against Liverpool.
The Citizens kept their Premier League title charge going with a 4-1 thrashing of their rivals at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon.
After Julian Alvarez's equaliser in the first half, Guardiola was seen celebrating in the face of Liverpool substitute Konstantinos Tsimikas before he shook Arthur Melo's hand.
Read: Man City Thrash Liverpool Without Haaland
"I was happy and I said 'how nice was our goal?' That's all," Guardiola said, as per the Mirror.
The Citizens manager was then asked by another journalist about a lack of respect for the Reds substitutes walking past.
"I'm so sorry. Speak with Tsimikas, speak with Arthur for a lack of respect," he continued.
"Ask him if I lack respect. I celebrated the goal. I celebrate with my son on the floor and I come here and I say 'the goal was nice, wasn't it?' That's all. I'm so sorry. Do you think it was a lack of respect? Ah okay, I'm sorry."
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand also took issue with Guardiola's behaviour and questioned why Tsimikas did not react.
"That celebration there, I don't know how Tsimikas hasn't pushed him out of the way... He couldn't contain himself," Guardiola told BT Sport.
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