GOATER FEARS FOR AGUERO FUTURE

PEP Guardiola’s handling of Sergio Aguero leaves a question mark over the future of City’s record goalscorer at the club, according to Shaun Goater.

After a fiery first year together, there have been fewer sparks between the two this season with Aguero on course for his most prolific campaign to date.

He has not always started City’s biggest games, though, and was only given 24 minutes off the bench against Liverpool this week in a tie the Blues were chasing from the off.

Guardiola explained before the game the striker, who only returned from a month-long injury in Saturday’s defeat to United, was not fit enough to play 90 minutes.

However, Goater believes Aguero will still have been unhappy with his lack of opportunities.

Said the former City striker: “I just felt in the last game, when I look at Sergio, if I was him I would be thinking ‘why am I not starting’?

“I accept I may not be starting, but I would expect to be getting on for 35 or 30 minutes, I am the all-time leading goalscorer at this club.

“I think Sergio probably feels a bit disrespected having scored all the goals he has scored. I would love for him to be at the club and Pep has always said he will be staying, so it will be interesting to see if he is still at the club [next season].

“If he is not, another worldclass centre-forward is what is needed.”