Pep Guardiola speaks out on row that saw Kyle Walker and Erling Haaland clash with Arsenal staff member | Football

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Walker and Haaland were involved in the minor bust-up (Picture: Hayters/Sky Sports)

Pep Guardiola refused to discuss the details behind the spat involving a member of Arsenal’s backroom team and Kyle Walker at the end of Manchester City’s defeat at the Emirates.

Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score a crucial winner on Sunday that saw the Gunners secure their first Premier League victory over City since December 2015.

After the final whistle, tempers flared when Arsenal’s set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, who used to work at City, appeared to approach Walker with an offer of a handshake.

The full-back initially ignored Jover before turning back to confront him with Erling Haaland also involved, seen being held back by another member of City’s staff.

Bukayo Saka, who missed the game through injury played peacemaker, moving in to pull Jover away from the row.

Guardiola was quizzed on the incident in his post-match press conference, admitting he knew what sparked the confrontation without giving away any details. ‘I know what happened, but I don’t want to say anything,’ Guardiola said. ‘They [Arsenal] know it.’

Mikel Arteta meanwhile said he ‘hadn’t seen’ the incident.

Gabriel Martinelli

Martinelli returned from injury to score the winner (Picture: Getty)

‘Football players don’t like set pieces full stop on the training pitch, let alone the opposition’s set piece coach having a go,’ Gary Neville joked when reviewing the incident on Sky Sports.

Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott meanwhile suggested ‘a nerve was hit’ after the City pair uncharacteristically lost their cool for a moment.

‘We always look at City as being very professional and not reacting in these situations and that’s where I feel a nerve has been hit here,’ Walcott said.

City have now lost their last three domestic games on the bounce having been eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Newcastle United and losing away to Wolves last weekend.

After last season’s Treble success, City are looking to become the first team in the history of English football to win four successive titles but Guardiola hopes Sunday’s setback can now work to ease the pressure on his side.

‘No team has ever won four in a row,’ Guardiola said. ‘Defeats can happen, but we are in October. Sometimes it is good going behind. It is not the first time going behind for the contenders. Last season we were much, much behind, but the season is long. It has happened.

‘In Wolves it was a difficult game. Congratulations to Arsenal. We know exactly what we have to do and we do it. We recover people coming back, and try to break [the losing run] immediately as soon as possible against tough opponents like Brighton and [Manchester] United.’


MORE : ‘They have big ones’ – Mikel Arteta hails bravery of David Raya and Gabriel Martinelli after Arsenal secure huge win over Man City


MORE : Erling Haaland HELD BACK in furious clash between Man City and Arsenal staff after Sunday’s showdown

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