Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola praised his players after their thrashing at Everton.

The Mirror says Guardiola left his Manchester City stars shocked as he CONGRATULATED them for their performance against Everton.

The 4-0 rout was the Spaniard's worst ever defeat as a manager and left pundits lining up to slam his team.

But Guardiola refused to criticise the display – telling City they played well despite an error-strewn performance.

Players were apparently left wondering if their boss was attempting reverse psychology following the surprising team talk.

City are in danger of missing out on the top four after three defeats in seven league matches.