While discord on the other side of the city divide might be stealing the heat at the moment, you might be surprised to learn that Man City are currently dealing with a disciplinary issue of their very own, centred around the continuing adventures of Benjamin Mendy.
According to Sam Lee, dedicated City correspondent for Goal, Pep Guardiola has reached the end of his tether with Mendy over the full-back’s lack of professionalism away from the pitch.
Having already been ticked off by Guardiola about his incessant social media output, the French defender (who is currently nursing a bruised metatarsal) further angered his manager by reporting late to a scheduled recovery session… and only by a mere three hours!
As per Lee’s report, as soon as Mendy swanned in through the door, Guardiola kicked him right back out again.
This was not the first time Mendy has got on the wrong side of the City coaching staff this season, nor is it his first punishment, and Guardiola fast losing patience.
Contrary to Guardiola’s insistence that Mendy trained “every day” last week, insider sources claim that the 24-year-old was actually banished from the training centre for a week and kept away from the first-team squad as they prepared for games against Oxford United and Brighton.
Here’s Guardiola talking about Mendy turning up late for his rehab session on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/D52HjZtDsW
— Sam Lee (@Sammy_Goal) 28 September 2018
City have apparently moved Mendy out of his city centre apartment over fears about his extra-curricular activity. The left-back has also already been fined by the club for lapse punctuality this season, and been handed a 12-month driving ban (by the authorities, not City) in the past couple of weeks.
Basically, when it comes down to the crux of the matter, he needs a jolly stout toe poke up the crevice.