Pep: Mendy now has to fight for his place
PEP Guardiola has told Benjamin Mendy he will have to fight for his first-team place with Angelino and Aleks Zinchenko, despite hailing the Frenchman’s display against Dinamo Zagreb as his best of the season.
Mendy helped create two of Gabriel Jesus’ goals in the Croatian capital and, after a shaky start, he grew into the game, particularly offensively, with his cross for Jesus’ hat-trick goal a reminder of the quality he can possess on the left flank.
The competition is once again fierce at left-back, with Zinchenko coming off the bench in Zagreb as he returned from injury, while Angelino has been preferred to Mendy against Liverpool and United.
Last night was Mendy’s ninth start of the season for City as the 25-yearold continues to find his way back to form after two serious knee injuries.
“He played the best game of the season, really well,” Guardiola said. “He did really well.”
Zinchenko began the season as City’s first-choice left-back but this was his first Blues appearance since the start of October after he suffered his own knee injury.
He came on in the second half in Zagreb in midfield but will expect to be challenging again for a left-back spot soon.
“They have to fight between each other and they can decide,” Guardiola said of the battle between Mendy, Zinchenko and Angelino.
“Angelino played incredibly well, especially at Anfield. We know the quality from Aleks, and Mendy has the quality. When he is fit and when his head in the right position he’s an extraordinary player.”
Guardiola also hailed Phil Foden’s performance, saying: “He was so good. I think he’s a player who is close to the box more dangerous than away from the box, he still has to learn a bit away from the box.
“When he played close to the box, attack central defenders, he’s incredibly dangerous, he played really well.”
Foden’s dribbling ability stood out as he regularly carried City forward, particularly with one surging run that helped create the equaliser.
Said Guardiola: “England have an incredible generation for the young players, the next decade England has incredible players and it’s good for the country.”
City had nothing to play for against Dinamo Zagreb, but they still turned in a professional display to come away with a 4-1 victory, which delighted Guardiola.
“We didn’t play for points, we played for ourselves and it’s important to finish in that way,” Guardiola said. “Now we focus on the Premier League and see what condition we arrive in February to face the best teams in Europe.”