Pep Guardiola highlights Manchester United's spending after their Carabao Cup win

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has aimed a cheeky dig at neighbours United over their spending after they ended a six-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup.

Guardiola won nine major pieces of silverware in a timeframe similar to United's long wait between triumphs, including four Premier League titles and four League Cups.

Guardiola congratulated United on Sunday’s win over Newcastle – a result that could prove a springboard for greater things in the coming years under Erik ten Hag – but he could not resist a joke about financial matters.

It has often seemed to bother Guardiola that critics regularly apply a caveat when discussing his successes at City by pointing out how much the club have spent on players.

Yet over the last five years, United’s outlay actually eclipses City’s with £685m spent by the Old Trafford outfit in comparison to £660m by their rivals.

Those figures may be relatively close but when looking at net spending in that time the difference is more stark, with United’s being £527m and City’s £162m.

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Speaking at a press conference, Guardiola said: "Congratulations to United for the Carabao Cup and to Newcastle as well – the game was entertaining.

"Sooner or later it should happen, shouldn’t it? It should happen. Welcome."

Asked if United could now kick on and become serious title challengers, Guardiola said with a broad grin: "If they spend a little more money, yes! It’s because they didn’t spend, isn’t it?

"It’s normal, they’re in the position they