Pep’s show of compassion

PEP GUARDIOLA showed great decency in remembering to wish Harry Arter luck with the birth of his child this week. The Arter family have been through a lot since their daughter, Renee, was stillborn last year. The last days of pregnancy will not be the same for them as for other parents. For Guardiola to seek out Arter, moments after the final whistle had blown, was a touching, human gesture. Yet his professional statements before the match also said much for the man. His brutal honesty when confronting Sergio Aguero’s changing status at the club was admirable because few managers are that truthful. Guardiola made it plain that, with everybody fit, Aguero is no longer the starting forward. Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Leroy Sane will be his front three from now on. ‘I know he’s trying,’ Guardiola said of Aguero. ‘I know how much he fought against Tottenham and how many chances he had. But at Crystal Palace I saw three guys in front with a high intensity and I said, “Wow, I like what they do”. Sergio knows the intention of his manager and the club. I don’t want to sell him. I want him to stay here for a long time. The reason he’s not playing is because Leroy, Gabriel and Raheem have been amazing. What I feel now is that if one of them doesn’t play, then he will be in. At the end of the season, though, I don’t know what will happen.’ And he was true to his word. Jesus was injured against Bournemouth and on came Aguero. Maybe he will get more games now that the severity of Jesus’s injury has been confirmed. Yet when summer comes the player will know exactly where he stands again. Jesus will be back next year and when that happens, while Guardiola does not want to sell Aguero, he can no longer offer first-team football. So if he wants to leave, the manager will not stand in his way. All was made clear in two or three straight-talking sentences. How refreshing, how open. No mind games, no false promises, no lies, no double bluffs. Very adult. It’ll never catch on.