‘Everyone is an idiot’ - Pep Guardiola’s message to Todd Boehly about Graham Potter after Man City 4-0 Chelsea

Pep Guardiola has labelled football chairmen ‘idiots’ and encouraged Chelsea owner Todd Boehly to stick with Graham Potter despite his struggles since taking up the manager’s role at Stamford Bridge.

Sunday was perhaps the darkest day of a difficult tenure so far at Chelsea, with his side losing 4-0 against Manchester City in the FA Cup third round. Riyad Mahrez scored two at the Etihad, along with first-half goals from Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden, in what was an outstanding display from Guardiola’s men.

Meanwhile, Chelsea were poor and were chasing shadows in the second period as City nonchalantly passed the ball around, while the visitors managed just one shot on target throughout the 90 minutes. It’s a performance that has only piled the pressure more firmly on Potter, especially with Chelsea currently sitting 10th in the Premier League table and now out of both domestic cup competitions. But Guardiola has encouraged Boehly to stick with Potter and give him time to turn things around.

“I would say to Todd Bohly it was a pleasure to meet him, so give him time,” the City boss said after the win. “I know in the big clubs the results are important but I would say give him time.

“What he has done in Brighton was outstanding, but all the manager’s need time. We needed time in my first season [at City], wasn’t the same in Barcelona because I had [Lionel] Messi there. That’s why I didn’t need two seasons, only one season.

“Everyone is an idiot,” he added. “To play City when we are in this level, or [in the] Carabao Cup when we faced [them], it is not easy. Not just for Graham or Chelsea, but for every team.”

The victory for City means they will face the winner of Arsenal or Oxford United at home in the next round of the FA Cup on the weekend of 27/28 January. It also ensures the Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur on 19 January will not be moved, a scenario which could have occurred had City drawn against Chelsea and needed to play a replay.