Pep Guardiola has hit back at José Mourinho’s claim that Manchester City commit tactical fouls by insisting he never instructs his players to do this.

Mourinho made the assertion in the buildup to last Sunday’s derby, which City won 2-1. Guardiola, asked about the Manchester United manager’s comment, said: “I never sent a message to my players. You can ask any of my players – these players and my old players – if my message on the pitch was to make fouls. I don’t use this kind of message.

“I don’t know how many fouls we make on the pitch but I think when you have 70% possession we are not that kind of team.”

Mourinho was discussing how he believes City halt counterattacks. Guardiola outlined the manner in which his team do this. “To be ready, to be close, to be close to their run,” he said. “Of course, we make fouls. We are not a saint. It’s because of the way the game is. Sometimes, when tripping, you make a foul and get a yellow card. That’s football.”

Guardiola has said he may pursue a central defender in next month’s transfer window and on Friday he did not rule out a fresh bid to prise Alexis Sánchez from Arsenal. City came close to buying the Chile forward in the summer and, asked if he may try again, Guardiola said: “Believe me, I don’t know what we are going to do.”

Tottenham Hotspur are Saturday’s visitors to the Etihad Stadium for the 5.30pm kick-off. Kyle Walker is expected to face his former team for the first time since his summer move to City and Guardiola believes the right-back is among the finest in the world.

“I’d rate him as one of the best definitely,” he said, before explaining how Walker has improved. “I would like to feel with the ball: how to run, how to pass. When a guy is strong like him you want to take a decision through the physicality and sometimes you have to be calm. There are moments to run, to play, to be quiet, to think, to see. During the game you have to use many different ways.”

Guardiola is keen to make Walker less reliant on his physical talent. “He is so strong defensively,” said the manager. “I’d like to help him to solve problems in games not just through his physicality but also through his thinking. When you are so strong physically, you solve all the problems that way. When you get to a certain age, 28, 29, 30 – after that you need to think more about what is going to happen.”

Guardiola was impressed with Walker’s containment of United’s pace in the derby. “[Marcus] Rashford and [Anthony] Martial are so fast and he was able to control them – few players in the world can control them like he did. That’s why he’s so important for us.”

In October Mauricio Pochettino, Tottenham’s manager, was unhappy after Guardiola called Spurs “the Harry Kane team”. Asked about this, Guardiola said: “I said what I said – after, I don’t have comment on that.”