Report: Guardiola 'congratulated' City players after 4-0 bashing

Manchester City's players could've been forgiven for cowering in the old, worn corners of Goodison Park's away dressing room after being shamefully battered 4-0 by Everton on Sunday, but the response from Pep Guardiola was surprisingly positive.

The manager's address was complimentary rather than scathing, reports The Mirror's John Cross, despite a performance which epitomised the failings of Claudio Bravo between the sticks and the faltering backline ahead of him.

An attack comprised of Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, and David Silva was also surprisingly limp.

Instead of discussing the mistakes that played a huge part in City's downfall, Guardiola reportedly "congratulated" his players for having a share of over 70 percent possession in the heaviest defeat of his managerial career.

While Guardiola was upbeat about his squad's overall performance this term, the Spaniard conceded to reporters post-match that the Premier League title hunt is over.

Related: Guardiola suggests title is out of reach for Manchester City

The ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager added: "I said to the players to be positive because they have done fantastic things in this season but didn't always get what we deserve. I think all managers can say this, though."

Despite the kind words to his incumbents, Guardiola is expected to make wholesale changes to his ageing squad in the summer. Southampton pair Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Bertrand, and Borussia Dortmund speed fiend Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are among the names linked with a move to Eastlands, with the likes of Gael Clichy, Yaya Toure, and Vincent Kompany potentially going the other way.

Young full-backs Jose Gaya and Ryan Sessegnon, of Valencia and Fulham, respectively, and Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl are also on Guardiola's wishlist, reports Cross.