Pep Guardiola showered his players with praise after a fitting display saw them win 0-3 against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday night.
The Spaniard fashioned a makeshift defence line of Nicolas Otamendi and Fernandinho in the centre-half positions for their first Champions League fixture of the season.
Overall, it was a lot of changes in the starting lineup but City never looked anywhere near vulnerable against the Ukranian outfit. Ilkay Gundogan delivered a masterful performance from midfield, assisting a goal and scoring one. Riyad Mahrez maintained a similar record while Gabriel Jesus put the finishing touches in the 76th minute.
Guardiola singled out Gundogan for praise after the fixture. The Spanish boss said, “The important thing is the credit he has from all of us, he is an exceptional player. He knows how good he has to play because there are many in that position.
“In centre-back we have many injuries but in that position we have many players. He had seven months out in the first year but now I am so satisfied and people can start to look at what he’s done over recent months for this club. We couldn’t have won the Premier League the way that we did it without him, especially when he plays in three positions. Outstanding performance from Ilkay today.”
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