“I don’t know how Tsimikas hasn’t pushed him” – Rio Ferdinand reacts to Guardiola being unable to ‘contain himself’ against Liverpool

Rio Ferdinand criticised Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola for his celebration after his team's equaliser against Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday (April 1). After Mohamed Salah gave the Reds the lead in the 17th minute, Julian Alvarez restored parity seven minutes later.

The City boss was visibly happy as his team got back to level terms. He proceeded to celebrate by getting in the face of Reds substitute Kostas Tsimikas. Ferdinand said that while he understood Guardiola's happiness, he lauded Tsimikas for not pushing the Spanish tactician.

Speaking on BT Sport, the former Manchester United central defender said (via Sports Joe):

"That celebration there, "I don't know how Tsimikas hasn't pushed him out of the way there! He (Guardiola) seems happy. ... he couldn't contain himself."

Guardiola had more to celebrate during the game as City sealed a 4-1 win at the Etihad. Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish were the other scorers for the Cityzens.

They have 64 points from 28 games and temporarily closed down the gap on Arsenal, who play Leeds United later in the day, to five points. Liverpool, meanwhile, are sixth, with 42 points from 27 games.

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Jurgen Klopp bemused by Liverpool's poor second half performance against Pep Guardiola's City

Liverpool were arguably the better side in the first half, but City completely outplayed the Reds in the second.

Klopp's team's start to the second half was particularly poor. After the game, the German tactician said about their second-half performance (via the Reds' website):

"You don’t know 100 per cent if the team started like this or a player started like that or whatever. I have no clue why we didn't have the challenge there when the ball was open. No foul, nothing, just no challenge. Really difficult to understand."

He added:

When you let them on the ball and they can cut inside and pass the ball and use their speed and the formation and all of that, then it is not about mental stuff in that moment – you just try to sort the things you can sort. It was not possible there. No, I don’t think it is really to explain, but we all saw what we saw."

Liverpool's next game will be against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on April 5, while Guardiola's team play Southampton three days later.