Pep Guardiola Explains Exchange with Nathan Redmond After City vs. Southampton

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has explained the heated exchange he shared with Southampton forward Nathan Redmond on Wednesday, insisting he told the player "how good" he is. 

City won the game 2-1 against Saints thanks to a dramatic late winner from Raheem Sterling, prompting wild scenes at the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola celebrated the goal by running on to the field, although at the final whistle he was seen involved in a furious discussion with Redmond.

Sky Sports PL captured the moment the City manager got in the face of the 23-year-old:

Guardiola was asked about the incident after the game and said he was telling Redmond he shouldn't play in such a defensive manner, per the Daily Telegraph.

"(I told him) how good a player he is," he said. "Last season he destroyed us here. I didn't know him last season, I realised how good he is. Southampton have some super-talented players, Redmond is so good one against one. But they didn't want to play, they were time-wasting from the ninth minute. I just wanted them to play."

The way in which Guardiola spoke with Redmond prompted a reaction on social media. Oliver Kay of The Times believes the City manager went too far:

Meanwhile, FourFourTwo's Stephen Tudor believes the former Barcelona coach is doing what he can to protect the game in its purest form:

Redmond didn't react to Guardiola's rant despite seeing his team concede a 96th-minute goal.

Mauricio Pellegrino's side headed to the Etihad Stadium with a five-man defence and for long spells did well to keep City's quality attacking options quiet. The setup from the visitors was a nod towards the exceptional form the Premier League leaders have showcased this season.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

It's not the first time Guardiola has acted in this type of manner at the final whistle. During his time as Bayern Munich manager, he spoke angrily to one of his own players, Joshua Kimmich, following a game against Borussia Dortmund, as we can see here:

While the Catalan has own way of doing things, James Ducker of the Daily Telegraph believes his conduct after the final whistle on Wednesday may warrant a charge based on what's been picked up on previously:

Although some of his mannerisms have been strange, Guardiola is getting results out of this City team.

There's no doubting the talent on the club's books, with a remarkable summer spending spree putting together one of the best squads in European football. But Guardiola has helped to cultivate determination and clear-mindedness, paving the way for dramatic finishes such as the one witnessed on Wednesday.

The three points mean City have still only dropped two points in the 2017-18 campaign after 14 games. They are eight points clear of rivals Manchester United, who are in second spot.