Pep Guardiola's recent efforts to connect with Man City fans are both genuine and calculated

Despite the incredible success enjoyed over the past six seasons, it's probably fair to say that Manchester City supporters and Pep Guardiola have not always seen eye to eye.

That isn't to say that City fans have at any point been unhappy with the Catalan's work at the club - one could hardly grumble at three Premier League titles, a maiden Champions League final and some of the most beautiful football we've ever seen played along the way. It's more that there's sometimes felt a slight disconnect between the two.

As we saw earlier this season, Guardiola has developed a habit of taking out his frustrations through thinly-veiled criticisms of attendances and the atmosphere at the Etihad Stadium. That hasn't sat well with some - after all, you wouldn't expect the manager, effectively the public spokesman of the club, to fuel lazy stereotypes and falsehoods about City's support.

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In recent years there have been grumblings about Guardiola's propensity to make odd tactical and personnel changes in Champions League knockout matches, although this season he appeared to shake that habit. In recent months, though, Guardiola seems to have made a greater effort to connect with City fans than he ever has done before.

It's hard to remember a title run-in where Pep has praised City's fans so consistently, both for their backing at home and loyal following away.

"Sometimes I say to the players, you have to play good to lift the fans, to let the opponent know here is not a nice place," he said after Sunday's 5-0 thrashing of Newcastle. "Today we didn’t need to. The people are not stupid, they know these guys do it every three days for five years