Pep Guardiola says Man United fans 'lack class' for chants about Phil Foden's mother

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said Manchester United fans who singing vulgar chants about Phil Foden's mother during Sunday's game lacked class and "should be ashamed".

Guardiola questioned United supporters' integrity having also targeted the England international as he left the field following a drab goalless draw at Old Trafford.

“The chants to him? Lack of class. But it’s not United, it’s the people," Guardiola said.

“We are so exposed, the people who are now on the screen in world football – managers, owners, and football players, especially.

“Honestly, I don’t understand the mind of the people, involving the mum from Phil, being involved in that.

“It’s a lack of integrity, class – and they should be ashamed. But it’s what it is, it’s happening everywhere I would say, not just in UK, everywhere.”

Kevin De Bruyne on the attack during Manchester City's goalless Premier League draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford on April 6, 2025. Getty Images

United manager Ruben Amorim, right, alongside his City counterpart Pep Guardiola. Getty Images

United Rasmus Hojlund remonstrates with teammate Alejandro Garnacho. Reuters

City's Egyptian attacker Omar Marmoush shoots for goal from a free kick. PA

United defender Patrick Dorgu shoots for goal but fails to his target. AFP

City manager Pep Guardiola embraces Phil Foden after the England attacker was substituted in the second half. Getty Images

United midfielder Casemiro goes down under a challenge from Mateo Kovacic of Manchester City. Getty Images

A frustrated Alejandro Garnacho after a chance goes begging during the match at Old Trafford. AFP

City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne shoots for goal in the week where he announced he would be leaving the club at the end of the season. AFP

City were shocked and disgusted by the chants and the number of people involved. United’s stance is that they condemn all abusive chants aimed towards players.

The stalemate meant City missed the chance to return to the top four of the Premier League while United continue to languish in 13th place.

Guardiola said: “Of course it would be better to win, but Old Trafford is Old Trafford – always you have to make a good performance [to win].

“When we lost the ball we were not good and they could run. The first 10-15 minutes of the second half were our best moments and I saw some good things but we were not in the position to hurt them more. But it’s fine. We take the point and we move forward.”

United boss Ruben Amorim was asked how difficult it will be to turn the club’s fortunes – and style of play – around.

The Portuguese said: "I can say we want to be competitive in the short space of time but to be really dominant against that type of opponent is going to take a lot of time.

"We have to use different weapons. In that way of playing [ball domination] City is maybe the best team in the world. If you compare this game against Arsenal, we have some moments we did the better today was different. We are improving. To play in this way they play for a long time.

"I’m in a rush, because we are suffering a lot. Everybody here is suffering a lot with all these changes and we have to show something in the next year, so right away.”

At the final whistle the sit-in organised by the 1958 group to protest against the Glazer family’s ownership was attended by a couple of hundred United fans.

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Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.