Manchester City vs. Celtic: Pep Guardiola’s Key Pre-Match Presser Quotes

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has branded a report that he phoned Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez in a bid to recruit him as a lie during his pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Celtic.

Chilean outlet El Mercurio (h/t the Mirror’s Jack Rathborn) had reported Guardiola had called his former charge to try to convince him to join City, but per the club’s official Twitter feed, he denied the rumour:

PEP: (on Sanchez rumours) False. The journalist is a liar. Sanchez would fit into any side in the world. #mcfc

— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 5, 2016

Guardiola recruited Sanchez from Udinese ahead of his final season at Barcelona, and the pair won the Copa del Rey together in 2012.

He netted an impressive hat-trick against West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday to take his league tally to 11 goals.

The Sky Blues manager also backed rivals Manchester United to be in contention for a Champions League place at the end of the season if not challenge for the title, per BBC Sport’s Simon Stone and Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News:

Pep, asked if @ManUtd can still finish in top 4. “How they play lately yes.”

— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) December 5, 2016

Pep says …

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