Stefan Ortega has sparked criticism for a remark deemed disrespectful toward Liverpool following Manchester City’s loss.

Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega has faced criticism for remarks made about Liverpool following the team’s 2-0 defeat at Anfield on Sunday. Ortega, who replaced Ederson in goal as part of Pep Guardiola’s lineup shuffle, conceded an early goal to Cody Gakpo and a penalty to Mohamed Salah after fouling Luis Diaz.

The loss marked City’s seventh consecutive match without a win, dropping the reigning Premier League champions to fifth place. Guardiola, under pressure after the streak, faced chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from Liverpool fans. In response, he gestured with six fingers to highlight the number of Premier League titles he has won with City since 2016.

When asked post-match about Guardiola’s reaction, Ortega referenced the chants and made a controversial remark, saying he had heard Liverpool “is probably not the best part of the UK.” His comment was widely criticized as “tasteless” and “nasty.”

Guardiola later addressed the Anfield chants, expressing surprise at the reaction. “I didn’t expect Anfield to chant for me to be sacked,” he said, adding that his history of success might be the reason he remains in charge despite recent results. City will look to bounce back on Wednesday when they host Nottingham Forest, who are just one point behind them in the league table.