Pep Guardiola, who has led Manchester City to an undefeated start in his first season at the helm, took notice of Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Chelsea on Friday.
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The 20-year-old, who signed for City from Bundesliga side Schalke 04, has impressed in his two substitute appearances in the Premier League against Manchester United and Bournemouth after shrugging off an early hamstring injury.
“I know his quality but he needs minutes and he will get them in the next game”.
City’s superb start under Guardiola continued as they won their eighth successive game in all competitions – an unprecedented feat for the club at the beginning of a season – by thrashing Bournemouth 4-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.
“The Champions League is tough mentally so to recover from that is something that makes me happy”.
Keown watched the Citizens taken Bournemouth apart and then Guardiola’s comments afterwards, and was left with the clear impression the former Barcelona coach still wants more from his squad.
Guardiola said: “Messi is on a table on his own”.
Kevin de Bruyne, Kelechi Ilheanacho, Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Gundogan all netted as the Cherries were swatted aside emphatically at the Etihad Stadium, to give City maximum points after the opening month of the season.
“I think there is still potential to get better – but every single game is a new one starting from zero”, he said.
“He decides what you have to do at the right moment every time. That’s why he is a player at another level”. “And with the ball the quality of the players made the difference”.
“I am lucky and we are lucky to have him”.
Jack Wilshere, making his full debut for Bournemouth, bundled needlessly into Nolito on the edge of the penalty area and De Bruyne sent the resulting set piece zipping under the leaping Bournemouth wall and in.
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“It was a hard day”, he said. After we are going to see. “Our plan wasn’t to sit as deep as we did first half but we ended up getting trapped with nowhere to go”. We played like a small team without the ball and that is why I’m so proud.
