“Please, tell me this isn’t real”, “We’re a joke” – Fans in disbelief as Pep Guardiola rates Manchester United mentality with hilarious reaction

Fans online had a field day as Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola laughed off a question about Manchester United's mentality after lauding Liverpool and Arsenal's.

City, Liverpool, and Arsenal have made superb starts to their league season - being unbeaten after five games. While City have won all five games to occupy the top spot in the standings, the two other clubs aren't too far behind. They have won four times and have 13 points, with the Reds (third) ahead of the Gunners on goal difference.

United, though, have made an abysmal start to their campaign, losing three of their five games. With six points, they're a lowly 13th in the standings, closer to the drop zone (five points) than the top four (seven points). They've lost their last two games - 3-1 at Arsenal (September 3) and 3-1 to Brighton & Hove Albion at home last weekend.

Fans reacted to Guardiola seemingly dismissing Manchester United's mentality, with one tweeting:

"Please, tell me. This isn't real."

Another chimed in:

"We're a joke. That's what it means."

Here are the top reactions on X, formerly called Twitter:

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“It’s been of their worst ever starts to a Premier League campaign" - Pundit on Manchester United's season

Manchester United players wearing a dejected look.

Manchester United opened their 2023-24 campaign with a rather fortunate 1-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, Erik ten Hag's side fell to a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.

United returned to winning ways in their next outing against Nottingham Forest at home, albeit in unconvincing fashion. They went down 2-0 inside five minutes before triumphing 3-2.

The Red Devils then endured 3-1 defeats either side of the international break. They conceded two injury-time goals at Arsenal before Brighton ended their 31-game unbeaten home run across competitions spanning 13 months.

The pressure is well and truly on Ten Hag to turn around the beleaguered club's fortunes. However, things don't get any easier. United's next outing is a trip to Munich to face Bayern Munich in their UEFA Champions League opener on Wednesday (September 20).

Pundit Robbie Savage reckons United are already out of the title race, having made their worst start to a league season since 1989 (as per TeamTalk):

“It’s been of their worst ever starts to a Premier League campaign. The way the team are playing is really really poor and some of the substitutions like (Rasmus) Hojlund being taken off at the weekend are very strange too."

Things are unlikely to get any easier at Bayern in midweek, Savage added:

“I don’t see them getting anything against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and realistically after only five games, they are already out of the (Premier League) ititle race. I thought United would push City, given the recruitment, but they are miles off it.”

United return to league action at Burnley on Saturday (September 23).