Guardiola backs Bravo after Everton blunder
PEP Guardiola defended Claudio Bravo after the City goalkeeper’s error during their win over Everton.
The Blues’ No. 2 kept his place between the posts for a second successive start after Ederson was ruled out of the game at the Etihad Stadium with illness, and he made an excellent firsthalf save to keep Seamus Coleman’s effort out when the game was goalless.
However, an attempt to pass the ball out from the back was intercepted just outside the City box and within seconds it had come back past Bravo and into the net to get Everton back into the game at 2-1 – and make the last 20 minutes tougher than the home side had expected.
Bravo, who was replaced by Ederson as the club’s No.1 in 2017 after a troubled debut season at the club, was praised by his manager after the game for what he brings to the team with his style of play.
“It happens when you play in that way, but thanks to him we can make a build-up better and use long balls you’re going to lose and after have to adapt,” said Guardiola.
“It happened, it’s football, but always
I encourage them to do it, we won the ball and we did it.
“The most important thing after that is he tried to play the ball and that’s why in the last 14 or 15 minutes we conceded one or two corners and that’s difficult because they are taller and good takers, but thanks to him we didn’t concede any more options.”
Summer signing Joao Cancelo was handed a rare chance to impress in the Premier League and looked good, nearly supplying a goal on two occasions in the first half and coping with the threat of Lucas Digne.
Guardiola does not have a problem with how Cancelo has played, but stressed that the player must decide if he wants to fight for a spot with Kyle Walker, who has played the majority of games this season.
“Kyle was playing so good in the last period, and when one player plays good you have to wait for your moment,” he said.
“But when he (Cancelo) has played, he has played good.
“He has quality, has made two or three assists.
“But in the end, the player has to decide if he wants to fight and stay here with us. They decide. Everyone is free in this country to do what they want in their own lives.
“He was good (against Everton), it’s not easy to play against them but he was good.”