Pep Guardiola gave Leroy Sane furious dressing down at half time before subbing him against Wigan

Pep Guardiola tore into Leroy Sané during a furious dressing down at half-time of Manchester City’s shock FA Cup defeat by Wigan Athletic last week.

Telegraph Sport has learnt that Sané’s team-mates were left stunned as Guardiola accused the Germany winger of failing to pull his weight and not adhering to his specific instructions in the first half of the 1-0 defeat.

The manager was so angry he substituted Sané at half-time and brought on right-back Kyle Walker. Guardiola was already irate before he entered the dressing room after confrontations on the pitch and then in the tunnel with Wigan coach Paul Cook following City defender Fabian Delph’s red card in the final minute of the first period.

Guardiola’s mood darkened further when he turned on Sané, with one source claiming the Catalan’s dismay with the 22-year-old could even be heard in the corridor outside the dressing room.

Sané was back in the starting XI for the Carabao Cup final triumph over Arsenal at Wembley on Sunday. Guardiola claimed earlier in the season that Sané did not do enough in pre-season to warrant a starting place at the beginning of the campaign. He also said after the FA Cup victory against Burnley in January that Sané was still making “big mistakes” in the defensive and simpler aspects of his game that needed ironing out.

The Wigan game was also eventful in that it resulted in Guardiola being charged by the Football Association for breaching kit and advertising regulations by wearing a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned pro-independence Catalan politicians.

Guardiola has been given until 6pm on Monday to respond to the charge and said he would write personally to the FA to outline his position, although he insisted on Wednesday that he would stop wearing the ribbon if there was any risk of him damaging the club or team. “I think it’s not going to happen [City asking him to stop wearing the ribbon] but if they say that, I am going to accept that,” he said. “They are the bosses. The club is more important than my personal opinion. But my personal opinion is not a political opinion.

“When men and women put on a pink ribbon it’s because of the support for the breast cancer initiative, the same like when I bring the prostate cancer badge. Of course, I don’t want to damage my team or club.”

Although Guardiola ignored two formal warnings about the matter in December by continuing to wear the ribbon, it is thought its exposure against Wigan was unwitting. The ribbon had been concealed under a bomber jacket he was wearing during the first half but Guardiola ended up unzipping the jacket in the second period after tempers had flared earlier, leaving the symbol clearly visible.

Guardiola elected to wear the ribbon on his jumper during Sunday’s final although it was mostly concealed during the game by a coat and scarf. The ex-Barcelona manager is free to wear the ribbon before and after matches and during press conferences.

City face Arsenal in the league at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night, when victory would move them 16 points clear at the top. Guardiola’s curious relationship with Yaya Touré took another twist when he cast doubt over whether the veteran midfielder would be feature in the match.

Touré has played just 89 minutes for City since the turn of the year but Guardiola offered a strange response when asked about the prospect of the Ivorian replacing the injured Fernandinho.

“It depends on him,” Guardiola said. “It’s simple like that. It depends on him. If he’s coming back as who he is, he’s going to play.”

When pressed on what he meant, the manager added: “It’s up to him. He’s doing well – it depends on him. 

“When Yaya comes back in his level, that is why he stayed with us, because he can play … yeah he’s training well.”