‘Joy to be their manager’
GUARDIOLA PROUD AS CLINICAL CITY CANTER IN
Pep Guardiola insisted he never doubted Manchester City could cope with their defensive injury crisis as his side made a flying start to the Champions League campaign with a 3-0 win against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.
City boss Guardiola was forced to deploy Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho at centreback after losing Aymeric Laporte and John Stones to recent injuries.
But Fernandinho slotted in easily as City subdued Shakhtar with first-half goals from Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan at the Metalist Stadium.
Gabriel Jesus netted City’s third late on to ensure they made the long flight home with three points stowed away.
“When you win the manager makes the right decisions, when you lose it’s wrong decisions. We lost one game in eight months and we will not doubt who these players are. It is a joy to be their manager,” Guardiola said.
There was more good news for Guardiola as French defender Benjamin Mendy, on as a late substitute, made his first appearance since April after returning from a knee injury.
With Dinamo Zagreb and Atalanta making up Champions League Group C, City are expected to cruise into the last 16.
This mature performance was the perfect opening to their bid to win the Champions League for the first time, especially coming after Saturday’s shock 3-2 defeat at Norwich in the Premier League.
“Now it’s in our hands. If we can close the games at home then we will be in the last-16,” Guardiola said.
City have failed to get past the quarterfinals in his previous three seasons in charge, while the Spaniard hasn’t won the tournament since the second of his two titles with Barcelona in 2011.
Those failures gave extra significance to City’s opening match.
Nicolas Otamendi is the English champions’ only fit centreback, so Fernandinho was pressed into action, with Guardiola giving him the captain’s armband.
The 34-year-old had lost his place following the signing of Rodri from Atletico Madrid.
Rodri failed to put City in front inside the first minute when he met Kevin de Bruyne’s free-kick with a misdirected header inside the six-yard box.
City were dominating possession and Jesus’ shot deflected for a corner after he was teed up by Gundogan’s clever pass.
Their pressure was rewarded in the 24th minute when Jesus flicked the ball back to Gundogan on the edge of the area.
Gundogan’s curling strike cannoned back off a post into the path of Mahrez, who had the simple task of slotting home for his first goal of the season.
It took 35 minutes for Shakhtar to muster their first shot on target when Junior Moraes had a close-range effort well saved at the near post by Ederson.
City’s response was emphatic and they doubled their lead in the 38th minute.
Mahrez was the provider this time with an incisive surge towards the Shakhtar area.
The Algerian deftly picked out Gundogan’s run and he finished with a clinical strike.
Jesus wrapped up the points in the 76th minute.