Pep Guardiola scoffed at suggestions Manchester City tinkered with the Etihad grass before last week’s victory over Liverpool.
There had been claims that City had allowed the turf to grow in a bid to hamper Jurgen Klopp’s slick countering.
Club groundsman Lee Jackson blasted it as ‘the fakest of fake news’ and Guardiola poured cold water on the idea of gamesmanship.
‘I'm not the greenkeeper,’ Guardiola said. ‘I never did (ask), if they want to play quick, we want to play quicker.
‘Always we try to put water on the grass but it's not necessary here. We want to cut the field so it's better conditions for both teams, you do the best for opponents.
‘We have to respect them with the rules. I never speak with the groundsman. I have many issues to think about that.
‘I trust the groundsman, I never made a phone call to say do this to damage our opponents.’
Guardiola also confirmed that Benjamin Mendy is on schedule to return in the coming weeks after another knee injury.
The left back has been out since the Manchester derby on November 11 and has been plagued by injury concerns.
‘He's much better. He is training - not with the team - but maybe two or three weeks and he'll be with us,’ he said.
Guardiola launched an impassioned defence of City’s academy after Brahim Diaz became the latest product to move elsewhere.
Diaz has made the switch to Real Madrid in a deal worth an initial £15.5million but Guardiola is happy with how City are bringing youngsters through.
‘We did with Brahim the same as Phil and Jadon,’ he added. ‘We did absolutely everything. Hopefully he’ll get the minutes he wants and didn’t get in the last period for many reasons. He’s a nice guy.
‘But congratulations to the academy – the top teams in Europe want our players because they are doing well.
‘You have to take a look at the young players across Europe and how many are in the first team immediately. The young players need time.
‘David Silva was on loan before he came here and is what he is right now. Some players have patience, trust the club, and some don’t. Train with us, be with us. They then decide what is best for the guy.
‘We need to create a good second league and you’ll see how many players are in the Premier League. Play real teams against guys who are 25, 26, 27 years old. Every weekend, fighting to survive. Then the managers in the PL will have more courage.
‘Make a league that isn’t just in front of 10 people. They train with us, we loan them. On the pitch speaks for itself.’
