Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega has stirred controversy by describing Liverpool as “probably not the best part in the UK” following his team’s frustrating 2-0 defeat at Anfield on Sunday.
Ortega, a surprising choice in Pep Guardiola’s starting lineup, replaced Ederson in an attempt to break the team’s poor form. However, City struggled against a dominant Liverpool side, with Ortega picking the ball out of the net twice—first from Cody Gakpo’s opener and then from a penalty scored 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 labeled him “world-class.”
The defeat marked City’s seventh consecutive match without a win, the longest streak of Guardiola’s managerial career. As home fans taunted him with chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” Guardiola responded by holding up six fingers, referencing his Premier League titles.
After the match, Ortega reacted to the crowd’s chants by expressing his disdain for Liverpool, stating, “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 often extend beyond the pitch, with incidents of fan violence reported during previous encounters.
Liverpool’s victory on Sunday further escalates this rivalry, as their commanding performance leaves City with significant challenges ahead in their quest for a fifth consecutive title. The home side controlled the first half, with Gakpo scoring from a brilliant Salah cross just 12 minutes into the match. City appeared disoriented, registering their first shot only in the 39th minute.
Although they returned for the second half with more energy, possibly motivated by Guardiola’s halftime talk, 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.