Guardiola is using League Two jibe about Haaland as fuel for City's title charge

A larger number of Premier League players than you might expect read everything. They see everything. Some even have the MailOnline app installed on their phones.

And Manchester City are no different — crystalised before winning at Leeds United last season. Rodri had watched Arsenal beat West Ham two days prior, the Spaniard becoming incensed at the giddying commentary around Mikel Arteta’s team and their prospects of lifting the title.

‘They were talking like it’s almost done,’ Rodri said inside an Elland Road dressing room huddle. ‘I was thinking, “What the f***?” It seems they don’t respect you guys.’

A product of his environment, an environment where Pep Guardiola’s messaging is consistently driven by perception. He’s built an atmosphere of defiance over time; against UEFA, against the Premier League, against the broadcasters, against the general public. Millwall but with the ball on the floor.

They’re always railing against something, this City team, and so Roy Keane handed them another piece of ammunition over the weekend. Keane’s suggestion that Erling Haaland resembled a League Two striker outside of the box prompted a strong reaction from Guardiola and now makes it a clean sweep of Sky Sports big hitters who have agitated the City boss this term; Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards all copping for it before Christmas.

Guardiola relished the question on Haaland, knowing exactly how he’d counter it. He dismissed the assertion outright before then appearing mystified that any ex-professional would criticise a current superstar.

‘From journalists I can understand, because they have never been on the pitch, but the former players I am always surprised at,’ Guardiola said. ‘Their memory disappears quick. How