PEP GUARDIOLA says the faith he showed in the summer proved he was in-Sane about boy wonder Phil Foden.
Manchester City thought about getting the cheque-book out when Leroy Sane injured a cruciate knee ligament in August.
Pep Guardiola knew he could rely on Phil Foden to fill in for injured Leroy Sane this seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
But the manager insisted they should hang fire as Foden, 19, was capable of filling the gap left by the German international flying machine.
He showed on Sunday, with a man-of-the-match performance in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, that he is more than just a central midfielder.
Now Foden is hoping for some more minutes as City continue their defence of the FA Cup with a fifth-round trip to Sheffield Wednesday tonight.
Guardiola said: “People said in pre-season when Leroy got injured that we may have to go to the transfer market.
“I said no, because Phil can play in the middle or wide, the same.
“I know exactly their skills and what exactly we need in specific games. And I know exactly that he can do it.”
Foden has been used sparingly in Premier League games once again this season but Guardiola insists he has trusted him on the big occasion before.
He said: “I’m not scared to put the young players into important games and decide to do it.
“I have played a final with Phil because I see him every day.
“But every time we decide to let him play, always he plays good, at a high level.
“Last season he played when we took on Tottenham to win the Premier League after being knocked out of the Champions League by them.
“He also played against Leicester.
“I didn’t have any doubts. The only reason Phil and other players maybe don’t have the minutes they deserve is because of the squad and important players.
“Some players have more experience than Phil — something he doesn’t have as he’s 19.
“That is the only reason why.
“I want the best for him. He will get what he deserves.
“Of course I’m delighted about his performance and his behaviour in good moments and bad moments.
“He’s 19 years old you have a lot to improve but with his behaviour he can achieve whatever he wants.”
Winger Sane has not played since managing only 13 minutes in the Community Shield in AugustCredit: Rex Features
Guardiola said he decided to start Foden at Wembley as he wanted to give some of the senior players a rest after their famous 2-1 win at Real Madrid the previous Wednesday.
The likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez were left on the bench as Guardiola knew that others would have a point to prove.
He said: “From my experience when you play against Madrid it is so demanding physically. Then you have a final three or four days later.
“All the players who played against Madrid could have played against Villa but I thought I needed fresh — not just legs but mentally as well.
I need them angry and wanting to show me they should have played against Madrid, they want to show how good they are.
“If they follow me it’s not a problem, if they don’t, they have a problem — their problem, not my problem. After that there is no more I can do.”
With the Community Shield and the Carabao Cup already in the bag, City still have their eyes on two more pieces of silverware this season — the FA Cup and the Champions League.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss said the players should have been thinking about them — rather than the ones they have won — before they left Wembley on Sunday.
Guardiola said: “I learnt at the big clubs I was at before — with their history — that when they go and take a shower they are thinking in that moment about the next trophy.
“It’s so nice what we have done in that competition in the last three years but now we have another final, away in the FA Cup.
“It is always difficult because of how important this competition is for the clubs in this country.
“We can go through to the quarter-finals — and that is what we have to do.”
Man City boss Pep Guardiola won’t rush Leroy Sane back to first-team action despite making return for Under-23s
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
