Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has backed Gabriel Jesus after the 21-year old striker went scoreless in last night’s 2-1 win over Watford at Vicarage Road. Jesus started the match, coming in for an injured Sergio Aguero. However, he missed a golden chance to score in the second half. However, he did provide an assist for Riyad Mahrez’s goal as City won 2-1.
Jesus hasn’t scored a Premier League in three and a half months, last finding the net against Huddersfield Town in August. His hat-trick against Shakhtar Donetsk last month broke a 6-week long goal drought. In 18 appearances, Jesus has scored only 5 goals with just one in the Premier League.
However, Guardiola defended Jesus, saying, “It’s important he had the chances, creating the spaces, and the second goal he create for himself. [He] does many, many other things, in terms of the pressing, in terms of helping in many, many situations.
Guardiola also said that he doesn’t know when Sergio Aguero will return to training. Aguero sustained an injury in his abductor muscle while training and missed the match against Watford. Guardiola said, “I don’t know right now, tomorrow they are going to tell me, they are going to make the real check.”
Manchester City now have 13 wins out of 15 Premier League matches. They are 5 points ahead of Liverpool in the league table. Guardiola said that he was happy with the way his team has done in the league so far. He said, “Fifteen games, 13 victories, two draws, with one at Anfield, so I am not complaining. We are qualified for the Champions League last 16, so I don’t have many regrets. What happened today in the last five minutes is the normal process, and to improve. To improve, you have to live these situations.
Of course we will visualise in training, other teams having five or 10 minutes, everybody can create problems and beat us.”
Manchester City’s next Premier League is a tough one against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
