Another comeback star has won favor under Guardiola once more after Manchester City’s victory over Newcastle.
Pep Guardiola singled out Joao Cancelo for praise after the full-back’s man of the match performance in Manchester City’s Boxing Day win against Newcastle United.
From being left out of the Carabao Cup final squad in March to becoming an indispensable member of Guardiola’s squad, Cancelo has made impressive progress. He’s the latest City defender to regain favor under the coach after John Stones.
And Cancelo proved his growing importance for City yet again in the 2-0 win over Newcastle. The Portuguese was influential in both defense and attack, and played a part in Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres’ match-winning goals.
“In the beginning when he arrived, it wasn’t easy for us – him or me,” said Guardiola in his post-match conference on Saturday. “Now we understand a lot of things.
“He’s a player with incredible quality, and his regeneration and physicality is incredible. He could play tomorrow!
“But he always has to be focused. He can be distracted, which is dangerous for a defender.
“In the final third, he has a special quality. He has courage. Sometimes I ask him to play in different positions than what he is comfortable with.
“In the second half, especially next to his friend Bernardo [Silva], he was very good.”
City, who have moved up to fifth in the Premier League table, will next visit Everton on Monday night.
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