Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega has described Liverpool as “probably not the best part in the UK” after his team suffered a frustrating 2-0 defeat at Anfield on Sunday.
Ortega, a surprise choice in Pep Guardiola’s starting lineup, replaced Ederson in hopes of reversing the team’s poor form. However, City was outplayed by Liverpool, with Ortega picking the ball out of the net twice—first from Cody Gakpo’s opener and later from a penalty converted by Mohamed Salah.
Without Ortega’s sharp reflexes, the scoreline could have been worse; he made a crucial fingertip save to deflect a header from Virgil van Dijk onto the post, earning praise from Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane, who described him as “world-class.”
The defeat extends City’s winless streak to seven matches, the longest of Guardiola’s managerial career, as home fans taunted him with chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” to which he responded by holding up six fingers, referencing his Premier League titles.
After the match, Ortega reacted to the chants by expressing his disdain for Liverpool, saying, “Someone told me before that this area [Liverpool] is probably not the best part in the UK. I think the manager reacted really well.”
The rivalry between City and Liverpool has intensified in recent years, with both teams sharing the last seven league titles. Their competitive clashes have often spilled off the pitch, with incidents of fan violence reported during previous encounters.
Liverpool’s victory on Sunday further escalates the rivalry, as their dominant performance left City with significant challenges ahead to secure a fifth consecutive title. The home side controlled the first half, with Gakpo scoring from a brilliant Salah cross just 12 minutes in.
City appeared disoriented, only registering their first shot in the 39th minute. They returned for the second half with more energy, possibly spurred by Guardiola’s halftime motivation. Yet, they still failed to register a shot on target. When Ortega fouled Luis Diaz in the box, Salah’s composed penalty pushed City to the brink of a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat, jeopardizing their title hopes.