Pep Guardiola scoffed at suggestions Manchester City tinkered with the Etihad Stadium grass before last week’s victory over Liverpool.
There had been claims that City had allowed the turf to grow in a bid to hamper Jurgen Klopp’s slick countering.
Club groundsman Lee Jackson blasted it as ‘the fakest of fake news’ and Guardiola poured cold water on the idea of gamesmanship.
‘I'm not the greenkeeper,’ Guardiola said. ‘I never did (ask), if they want to play quick, we want to play quicker.
‘Always we try to put water on the grass but it's not necessary here.