Raheem Sterling joined his manager in defending Bernardo Silva against accusations of racism arising from his controversial tweet comparing Benjamin Mendy to a cartoon character from a Spanish advertising campaign, but their views cut little ice with the former Everton striker Victor Anichebe.

Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports after Manchester City’s 3-1 win at Everton that racism needed to be fought every day but that the media had treated Silva unfairly. Sterling said: “Bernardo made a joke to his friend. He’s not referred to his skin colour , he’s not referred to his lips. They’ve both got small heads …

“It’s really sad to see someone like Bernardo, the whole week be kind of down about it, because he’s not that way inclined … They’re two really good friends, it’s really sad to see.

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“I can understand where the criticism has come but I don’t think it was no way intentional [sic] or trying to be racist. It’s not because it’s my teammates, it’s the way I view it. I don’t feel there’s any racism in it but I can exactly see the point where people have come from.

“Bernardo’s deeply sorry about it. We’ve got to be smart on social media because we understand in this day in age now anything you say or anything you do can quickly be judged and it’s just a really sad situation.” He also expressed support for City’s handling of what happened and the hope that the FA would understand that there was no reference to skin colour.

Anichebe, who was a pundit for Sky at the match, said that jokes were made in dressing rooms and that he didn’t think Silva was a racist but added: “He knows better … he’s followed by so many people. When you post something like this it opens up and invites other people to also joke about these things … that can spiral. Bernardo Silva will know he’s in the wrong now … I don’t think that he should do this and the way City have handled it I think it’s a joke … kind of saying that the media should focus on other things. No, you should correct your player not to put these things out into social media.”