PHIL YOUR Pep backs his Stones toast to winning spirit at City
way up the red carpet on crutches at the premiere of Manchester City’s fly-on-thewall documnetary series – just hours after tearing knee ligaments in training.
The battling Belgian could have been forgiven for giving it a miss.
But De Bruyne, 27, wanted to be with his Blues brothers – and what better way to start his long recuperation than to be cheered up by his joking pals?
Stones (above) finished his media duties and raced off to join his team-mates as they watched footage of Pep Guardiola laying bare his football philosophy.
But not before revealing what it means to be part of a City team that won the title with a record 100 points last season.
He said: “You enjoy a lot of time with your team-mates and it’s an unbelievable dressing room.
“And that really does translate on to the pitch. When you go through the hard times they will be so much easier because you have no one complaining.
“I have had experiences in the past – my first club where not everyone got along and that made it difficult.
“At this one we know everyone has each other’s back and that’s a special thing to have.”
Stones, 24, was not an instant hit following his £47.5million arrival from Everton two years ago.
But he looked increasingly assured in City’s title-winning campaign and enjoyed a starring role in England’s World Cup march to the semi-finals.
And the centre-back is quick to thank Guardiola for guiding him towards glory.
He added: “I think back and every day the willingness to get better was rubbing off from the manager.
“It’s the things people don’t see but may do in the Amazon footage.”
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TARGET: Guardiola wants teen ace Foden to have an impact this season JOHAN CRUYFF knew there was a diamond to be polished when he first clapped eyes on Pep Guardiola at Barcelona.
The future Nou Camp star and one day coach was just a kid. But Cruyff (right) liked what he saw, asked his name and put Guardiola in the first team – even though some critics claimed that he was too small.
Now, 28 years on, the Man City boss is giving Phil Foden his full support and approval to see history repeating itself. Guardiola, 47, recognises the likeness in 5ft 7in Foden in terms of size and skill, and said: “Maybe Phil is better by far. I am a better holding midfielder than him.
“He is a better attacking midfielder than me. I would say it depends on the view and what you prioritise.
“Everything is important but in that period Cruyff’s focus was the quality, the quality, the quality.
“It doesn’t matter weight and the size.
“In terms of quality and technique he had a lot of courage to say, ‘Okay, you play’. Always surrounded by important players.
“Maybe other managers at Barcelona at that time looked for more overall physicality.
“Just strong players and it doesn’t matter about technique. It depends on the manager.
“But Phil is strong. He looks tiny and skinny but he is strong.
“He is a box-to-box player and this season he is stronger than last season. So give him the