Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has hailed one of his team’s unsung heroes.
While the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland earn plaudits for their exploits, Guardiola has pointed to another one of his key performers.
The Spaniard singled out Ilkay Gundogan, who scored twice in a 2-1 win over Leeds United at the weekend.
“I remember one season when we won, maybe the second Premier League, Fernandinho was injured for a long time and he played as a holding midfielder,” said Guardiola to reporters.
“In games like Burnley, long balls, second balls, and he played – wow! I had the feeling that without him we wouldn’t be able to win the Premier League.
“He’s so intelligent, Gundo. So clever. So competitive. Under pressure, he handles it without a problem.
“He’s one of the best players I ever trained in my career. The whole package. He’s top, top class.”
