Man City stars accused of acting like "spoilt kids" in Liverpool loss

Manchester City’s stars have been accused of acting like “spoilt kids” following their defeat against Liverpool on Sunday.

The Red extended their lead over the champions to eight points after a 3-1 victory at Afield to put them the driving seat in the Premier League title race.

Tempers flared in the latter stages as Raheem Sterling and Joe Gomez clashed, while Pep Guardiola was unhappy that some of the key decisions didn’t go City’s way.

Liverpool legend John Aldridge has taken a swipe at Guardiola’s side and accused them of being sore losers.

He wrote in his Liverpool Echo column : “I think Manchester City are so used to getting their own way most of the time that they don’t know how to react when things go against them and they behaved like spoilt kids really.

“I understand their frustrations on the touchline because I’ve been there myself but the way Guardiola and [Mikel] Arteta were carrying on, as well as Sterling and [Kyle] Walker, it was like watching dummies being thrown out of the pram.

“No-one likes getting beaten but there’s a way to win and a way to lose and, particularly with the eyes of the world on Anfield for a match of this magnitude, City really didn’t do themselves any favours.”

Guardiola was furious after two VAR decisions went against his side and was caught on camera saying “thank you so much” to referee Michael Oliver after the game.

The Spaniard insisted afterwards that he had not been sarcastic when thanking Oliver.

“It was not sarcastic,” Guardiola said. “I say ‘thank you so much’ all the time. I said the same at Tottenham game at home. All the time I go to referees I say ‘thank you so much’.”

Fabinho’s early goal for Liverpool came moments after Oliver had waved away City’s appeals for a penalty for an alleged handball by home defender Trent Alexander-Arnold.

VAR backed up Oliver’s decision following a referral, while Guardiola was further incensed when another handball incident involving Alexander-Arnold late in the match also went in favour of the home side.