Pep Guardiola was on far safer ground with Manchester City fans with another critique of attitudes towards the club's spending.
Others have made the point this week that the jibes that have been aimed for years at the Blues for big buys do not seem to have turned towards Chelsea's unprecedented spending spree, but it makes it far more of a statement when one of the main representatives of the club does it. Guardiola aimed a swipe at Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp when sarcastically feigning surprise at Chelsea's ability to spend big despite not being a 'club state', then made it clear that there were double standards at play.
Referencing the decision of several top clubs to try and force City out of the Champions League while they were awaiting exoneration at the Court of Arbitration for Sport over UEFA's investigation into their sponsorship deals was a throwback to one of the most passionate Guardiola press conferences that City fans still warmly remember, and his words should boost everyone around the Etihad. Up to a point.
Also read: Guardiola hints at Man City double standards after Chelsea's £300m transfer window
Guardiola's mention of City's net spend over the last five years was curious both because it was brought up unprompted and also because it is far from the first time he has done it in recent weeks. It is a fair thing to bring up, but at times there has not been an obvious reason for him to do so.
As the manager himself said on Friday: "The best way is to focus what we have to do on the pitch. We have to try and beat Tottenham."
If the spending chat doesn't bother Guardiola at all, then great, but it seems to be cropping up a bit too often this season for something so inconsequential to achievements; City's Centurions campaign will not be celebrated any more now that the five-year net spend totals have been calculated. That it keeps coming up means it could be a distraction that City really don't need, just like in the 2019/20 season when fury at referees caused the squad to take their eye off the battle to catch Liverpool up.
All Guardiola needs to focus on is on reducing Arsenal's lead at the top, and as has been said there is no margin for error. The FA Cup win has the potential for some psychological advantage over the Gunners, but that will be wiped out if they do not win at Spurs this weekend and thus fall further behind in the Premier League.
The transfer window is over, so spending questions will dry up. So too must any thoughts about it from the manager if City are to claw their way to the top of the table.
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