Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola believes officials must be treated with respect by players and coaches.

However, Guardiola admitted that football is a passionate game and that tempers can sometimes run afoul.

He was speaking on the eve of his side taking on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Thursday, with games between the two teams notorious for refereeing issues in the past.

“People cannot behave like they're marble, like ice cold, when you're disallowed a goal in these type of games against the biggest opponents," he said to reporters.

“We will always react in that way but respect for the officials, the rules and the opponent is always there from my point of view, and my teams, absolutely.

“Reactions happen, that's why the referees are there, to react and do what they believe is correct."

Then asked about his outburst to an assistant referee the last time the two sides met, he added: “I wasn't sent off. That's in my dream against Liverpool, sooner or later it's going to happen.

“No, of course we want to behave good, come on – the players, the managers, the spectators – but sometimes emotions and many things happen.

“The clubs try to create a good environment, it's a football game. Try to create the emotions we are seeing in the World Cup, in Argentina right now in the streets. You see that, it's amazing, we want to try. Everything we can build step by step with the clubs, the press conferences with the managers, players and so on.

“It's just a game, let's make people happy, that's what we try to do."