MANCHESTER -- Pep Guardiola says he doesn't understand the criticism of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, while adding that Manchester City were "bad" in their Carabao Cup final victory the French manager's team.
The City boss faces Arsenal for a second time in four days after their emphatic 3-0 win over Wenger's side when they meet again in the Premier League on Thursday and Guardiola says his team can play much better.
"The first half was bad," Guardiola told a news conference. "The final of the first half was bad -- there are many things to improve.
"They played with three central defenders and we didn't make good high pressing. The second half they changed to the back four and we didn't make especially good high pressing -- there are many things we can improve, many."
The win increased the pressure on Wenger, who could be left 30 points behind City if they lose at the Emirates Stadium. But Guardiola is supportive of his opposite number, who has been at charge at the Gunners for 21 years, and says coaches should try to avoid criticising each other.
"I always support my colleagues," the City boss said, "I don't understand when other managers criticise the other managers because we feel the same, when we win, when we lose, we accept the opinions of the fans and the people and you feel alone.
"Believe me, you feel alone because there's a lot of pressure on your shoulders. I understand completely.
"I'd like to tell him that I am close, I am on the same side as him. I understand what he feels because I have had it before.
"That's why I don't understand when other managers criticise, maybe people believe I've said something wrong, it's tough for me to understand when you use this tribune to criticise colleagues.
"It's tough to send a message to the other ones from here because everyone understands how you feel when you lose. What happened can happen to me in the future. We won -- I'm good, Arsene Wenger didn't win so he's not good."
The game will be Guardiola's 100th game in charge while striker Sergio Aguero could also hit a significant landmark by scoring his 200th goal for the club.
"199? Wow," Guardiola replied when asked about the statistic. "The best recognition you can have is from his mates and he has it.
"We are so delighted with what he's done in two years, with the goals he has scored and the way he has tried to help us with and without the ball.
"I'm so demanding to him and to the other ones because I think he can do better -- not for any other reason, to help him.
He has to know he has to play good to be in the team, it's the same for everybody.
"The only way to keep going in three competitions is to be like this. But I think English football, European football, world football has a big recognition about Sergio, about what he has done over many years.
"I am delighted with the goals he has scored so far. He has three months to score more and more and more goals."