Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville disagrees with Cole Palmer’s decision to chat with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola following Chelsea’s defeat at the Etihad on Saturday.
The pair were seen holding a warm conversation after the game, and Neville suggested that Palmer had been “played” by Guardiola, claiming that the Catalan’s friendly interaction may not have been totally genuine:
“I want to say something about Cole Palmer, he was talking to Pep Guardiola on the pitch right at the end of the game and he was smiling with him, Pep Guardiola does that.”
“Cole, you’re being played, you’re being played here, you didn’t do enough out on that pitch in the second half. He’s an amazing player, absolutely brilliant, but you know something, those Chelsea fans that travelled today, the 3,000 or 4,000 in that far corner wanted better than that, they don’t really want to see you conversing with your opposition manager and smiling at the end of the game.”
“I’m not being old school here, but there’s something about that. I thought Pep Guardiola’s playing you here, I know he’s had him, but he didn’t play him here and he sold him.”
Neville is reading too much into things
It would be surprising if Guardiola was playing mind games as the former Manchester United defender claims. He regularly talks to opposition players to express his admiration for them after games.
Due to the intense schedule, the 54-year-old is unlikely to have had much of a chance to talk with Palmer recently and Saturday gave both the opportunity to catch up.
It was Palmer’s decision to leave City
The player has said on more than one occasion that his departure from the Etihad came out of necessity so he could play more games.
Guardiola would have loved to have retained his services but he doesn’t like having unhappy players in his squad so Palmer’s move was sanctioned as a result.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
