Wayne Rooney couldn’t believe what his Manchester City players were doing (Image: BBC SPORT)
Wayne Rooney was unrestrained in criticizing Manchester City players’ guard of honor during their defeat to Aston Villa. City handed out emotional red-offs when long-time mainstays Bernardo Silva and John Stones were substituted in the second half, with Josep Guardiola looking visibly distraught on the touchline. The game was also a farewell opportunity for the Spaniard, who revealed last week that he would be leaving City at the end of the season.
In Guardiola’s last game as manager, Antoine Semenho found the back of the net, but Olly Watkins’ double resulted in the home team losing to Villa. Silva and Stones played their final games as City players, in the defeat to Villa, but both were included in the starting XI for the final time.
Guardiola opted to remove Silva in favor of Mateo Kovacic in the 59th minute, with the Portugal international receiving a standing ovation and a guard of honor from both City and Villa players as he left the field.
Guardiola was visibly emotional as Silva was sent off for the final time as a City player. Stones received similar praise from both groups of players when he retired in the 77th minute to be replaced by Josko Gvardiol.
Rooney was asked about the guard of honor given to both players and the Manchester United legend expressed concerns about the timing.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said on Match of the Day. “I’ve seen some things happen this season and it makes me very sad to see these things happening in football.
“Bernardo Silva (and) John Stones have done a great job for Manchester City and deserve it, but they should have a guard of honor after the game.
“If I was in that Aston Villa team I would have been frustrated.”
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer also joined Rooney in the Match of the Day studio and wholeheartedly supported the views expressed by the former Everton striker.
“I was surprised that Villa agreed, especially after being out for so long,” Shearer said.
“So I’m in Wayne’s camp because we have just over 30 minutes left until we decide on one of our substitutes.”
It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Silva, Stones and Guardiola, who ended their City careers on Sunday.
Bernardo Silva and John Stones were each given a guard of honor during their substitutions. (Image: Karl Lesseen/Getty Images)
Both Silva and Stones have been tentatively linked with new clubs, with the former attracting interest from the likes of Juventus, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
Meanwhile, Guardiola’s future remains shrouded in uncertainty, with the Spaniard widely expected to step away from the role.
The iconic manager, who won 20 trophies during his 10-year spell at City, declared in his farewell address:
“I will never… (exclaims 10 more years, Pep shakes his head). No, only for Erling (Haaland). I could never have imagined such love. It is a great honor to be your manager.”
“We hope that we can provide some incredible feelings and emotions that people who come here will find enjoyable, rather than just remembering the trophy.
“Give me a break, my 95-year-old father is here. Maybe he doesn’t realize it, but I’m sure Chris and my father know that we have a really beautiful stand and that my family has been there for many years.
“Thank you, Sheikh Mansour. But I’m sure Khaldun really put pressure on me. My family, they’ll be here. The players don’t know it, but I’m going to be there and control them and leave a legacy.”
“Fernandinho, Eddie, John, Bernie, all the players on screen. The players have a huge responsibility to continue to uphold the standards of this great club.
“This has been my home since day one. In a few years’ time, if you see me in the street, if you’re a City fan, I want you to come up to me and give me a hug. I mean it.”
“As I said, it was a great honor to represent this club. Every decision I made I thought about what was best for this club. I love you so much. Let me finish by saying what I said a few days ago. They didn’t allow me to say it, but it was a lot of fun.”
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