LONDON • The 4-1 scoreline was anything but comfortable for Manchester City, but Pep Guardiola knows that in Phil Foden, he has a "player who is ready to play".
The Spaniard sang the burgeoning talent's praises for producing a "brilliant" display against League Two minnows Newport County, after the 18-year-old scored twice on Saturday to help City reach the FA Cup quarter-finals and keep alive their bid for an unprecedented quadruple this season.
Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez scored the other goals as the Premier League champions left it late to break the home team's brave resistance.
Guardiola told reporters afterwards: "Today was a good test for him, with second balls, long balls, he had to adapt.
"He learnt a lot, I'm sure, and he helped us to win the game with two incredible goals.
"We know that he's a guy who (is) close to the box and has this mentality to score goals, and he has the ability to do that. He was top."
Although City dominated possession, the visitors endured "a really tough game", with City clinging on to a one-goal lead with only two minutes of normal time remaining after Padraig Amond, capitalising on a mistake by Aymeric Laporte, lobbed Ederson.
MANY TALENTS
With second balls, long balls, he had to adapt. He learnt a lot, I'm sure, and he helped us to win the game with two incredible goals. We know that he's a guy who (is) close to the box and has this mentality to score goals, and he has the ability to do that. He was top.
PEP GUARDIOLA, Manchester City manager, on his player Phil Foden.
However, Foden and Mahrez struck again for City to end hopes of a Newport fightback, and Guardiola, who picked a strong team, was full of praise for Michael Flynn's men on and off the field.
Asked about the atmosphere at Rodney Parade, the City manager said: "I'm quite surprised. The support of the team was incredible, chanting 'Who are you?' was nice.
"I understand completely why Leicester and Middlesbrough suffer a lot in this stadium. It was tight - we scored the third goal just before 90 minutes. But we knew the game would be tight.
"What they do, they do incredibly. They attack the channels with long balls, in the second balls, they are physical and strong, every throw-in and free kick they are always dangerous because they train a lot and do it really well.
"We opened the scoring in the game and believed it was done. They showed us how incredible they are and a big compliment for them. It was lucky that Phil got the third goal.
"The home crowd was amazing. Winning here, I understand English football today better than ever and how tough the Cup is in these conditions.
"Newport used their strengths and we are not used to playing against that every week. That's why the Cup is so special."
In the other ties, Brighton moved into the quarter-finals for the second successive season as goals from Anthony Knockaert and Jurgen Locadia clinched a 2-1 win over Championship outfit Derby.
Second-tier strugglers Millwall also advanced to the last eight after a 1-0 win at League One side AFC Wimbledon, courtesy of Murray Wallace's headed winner.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, THE GUARDIAN
Chelsea manager has become one of the first people in the history of humankind to praise Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho's 'human quality.' Sarri has admitted that Mourinho's understanding after he became embroiled in a touchline fracas with Blues assistant Marco Ianni at Stamford Bridge last month has left a lasting impression on him.
Maurizio Sarri convinces wantaway star to - football.london
LONDON: Liverpool's stunning victory over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday was made possible by the belief manager Jurgen Klopp's has instilled in his squad, according to Jose Mourinho. Liverpool produced one of the greatest comebacks in the competition's history to beat Barcelona 4-0, overturning a three-goal
Klopp mentality behind Liverpool's historic comeback
Zidane Sure Of Ronaldo's Stay. Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid is an unimaginable prospect for coach Zinedine Zidane. The Portuguese star remains the subject of growing speculation over his future, with reports suggesting Ronaldo is unsettled at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Cristiano Ronaldo confirms he is not leaving Juventus
Jan 28, 2019 · Paris St Germain coach Thomas Tuchel admits it will be "very difficult" for Neymar to be able to face Manchester United in their Champions League tie because of a foot problem. The Ligue 1 leaders
Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min told his South Korea team-mates "we're better than that" after they needed extra time to scrape past Bahrain's part-timers 2-1 in the Asian Cup last 16 on Tuesday. Kim Jin-su's diving header at the end of the first extra period was all that separated South Korea
Football: Son says South Korea need to be 'better' at Asian
Giroud eyes Platini's record after scoring again for Les Bleus
Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne will stand trial for sexual assault in October after allegedly kissing a woman without consent on a train, a judge Ex-football star faces assault trial.
Paul Gascoigne » Internationals - worldfootball.net
Football: Southampton stun fading Spurs, Newcastle edge five-goal Everton thriller Tottenham's Harry Kane reacts as Southampton's Maya Yoshida looks on at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain
Southampton stun fading Spurs, Newcastle edge five-goal
LONDON • Tottenham's first Premier League match in their new 62,000-capacity stadium will be against Crystal Palace on April 3. In an official statement on Sunday, Spurs also confirmed that the new stadium will host its first European game when Manchester City visit north London six days later for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
TOTTENHAM AND PALACE FANS REACT: Spurs to Host The Eagles in
The game is not over yet and Brighton have been plucky in the final third. Given the result at Anfield and City's one-goal lead, it only takes one goal from Brighton to turn their title race back
Baihakki Khaizan is eager to get reacquainted with former national teammate Noh Alam Shah who has been brought in as player mentor for the Singapore Lions and reckons the latter "brings
Baihakki Khaizan: Alam Shah brings missing link to Singapore
New-look Germany make promising start with Serbia draw Germany's new-look team made a promising return to the international stage with a 1-1 draw against Serbia in a friendly on Wednesday
New-look Germany make promising start with Serbia draw
0 comments:
Post a Comment