De Bruyne scores 100th Man City goal as they brush past Crystal Palace

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With Kevin De Bruyne in this kind of form, Manchester City’s Premier League title rivals should be worried.
City’s very own ‘King Kev’ clearly wants an unprecedented fourth successive league crown and only a brave man would bet against him getting it, however good Liverpool and Arsenal have been.
Not only did De Bruyne take his City goal tally in all competitions to 100 with two against Crystal Palace, the first of which was a thing of beauty, the Belgian also provided an assist for Erling Haaland to boost the striker’s confidence at just the right time.
De Bruyne purred his way through the game, linking superbly with Jack Grealish time and time again, to show he is more than ready for the run-in.
Having watched from the bench as Phil Foden scored a superb hat-trick against Aston Villa three days earlier, it was De Bruyne’s turn to shine at Selhurst Park.
Asked if Foden’s hat-trick had put pressure on him to perform, De Bruyne replied: “Yeah, these guys keep me on my toes. I don’t expect to just be given my place. If I don’t perform well, I won’t play. Phil Foden has been amazing this season so deserves it, but it keeps me on my toes.
“I just try to be more of an example with the way I am on the pitch. I won’t be the person to tell others how to live their lives, but I try to show on the pitch. I have played with Phil [Foden] for seven or eight years now so I don’t feel like he is a youngster anymore. He is an established superstar in our team. He is just amazing.”
Pep Guardiola did not need to call on Foden at all with a Champions League game against Real Madrid to come on Tuesday night, while Bernardo Silva was only needed in time added on for stoppages.
For 45 minutes against Palace, there was some encouragement for Liverpool and Arsenal, but by full-time there were ominous signs that City could be gearing up to steamroller their way through the remainder of their league fixtures.
Grealish was involved in three of City’s goals, assisting for Rico Lewis to score his second league goal for the club, having netted his first in the corresponding fixture against Palace earlier this season.
Rico Lewis puts Man City ahead! 💥Huge goal for the youngster! 🤩📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/nvNZEbzxj7
Not everything went to plan for City, whose defending was sloppy for both of the Palace goals, from Jean-Philippe Mateta and substitute Odsonne Edouard, and could have been punished further by Jordan Ayew, who hit the crossbar.
But City have now scored eight goals in two games with Foden and De Bruyne taking it in turns to produce match-winning performances, and have not lost since the start of December.
Palace took a shock early lead thanks to a mistake from John Stones, who lost the ball and then saw it played behind him by Adam Wharton for Mateta to score with a shot that rebounded into the net off the post.
Jean-Philippe Mateta gives Crystal Palace the lead! 🔥Man City trail early on… 👀📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/sxwFnVijdY
But then it became the De Bruyne show, as the 32-year-old scored a superb equaliser, almost from nothing, as he cut in from the left and curled an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net. No wonder Guardiola responded by blowing kisses at him from the touchline.
Absolutely stunning! 🤩Kevin De Bruyne returns to the starting XI with a bang! 💥📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/8yCO8E5qRH
Pep blowing kisses to De Bruyne 😅 pic.twitter.com/ol191yC5L6
Haaland should then have done better after being put through on goal by a brilliant De Bruyne pass, but Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson saved with his foot.
Rodri did not enjoy his best 45 minutes in a City shirt during the first half. He had his pocket picked before Ayew hit the crossbar and played a poor back pass to goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who Cruyff turned his way past Mateta and out of trouble.
That touch by Ortega… 😮‍💨📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/ronSstYdSE
City needed a better start to the second half and they got it. Grealish crossed from the left and the ball was headed into the path of Lewis, who controlled it and fired a shot into the net via a slight deflection.
Grealish has suffered a frustrating season, but enjoyed himself at Selhurst Park. He stepped inside with the ball in the 66th minute before passing down the left for De Bruyne, whose cross was diverted into the net by Haaland for his 30th goal of the season.
Rico Lewis puts Man City ahead! 💥Huge goal for the youngster! 🤩📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/nvNZEbzxj7
De Bruyne has assisted 17 of Haaland’s City goals, which is the most from one Premier League player to another since the start of last season.
Having netted his 99th City goal in the first half, De Bruyne brought up the century with 20 minutes remaining. He linked up with Grealish, who passed to Rodri and the Spaniard pulled the ball back for De Bruyne to beat Henderson.
Rico Lewis puts Man City ahead! 💥Huge goal for the youngster! 🤩📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/nvNZEbzxj7
That was the cue for Guardiola to give Rodri a rest for 15 minutes or so, presumably with the Madrid game in mind, but the City head coach was frustrated his team conceded a second goal late on.
Palace substitutes Jeffery Schlupp and Edouard linked up for Edouard to score, but the game was already over by then and Liverpool and Arsenal fans were already starting their tension levels rise.
“It was good. It has been a very untypical season with the injuries and coming back. Sometimes I feel good, sometimes I feel a little bit off with my body. I have tried to prepare myself as best as possible. I try to do the job as good as possible and today I did well.”
“These guys keep me on my toes. I don’t expect to just be given my place. If I don’t perform well, I won’t play. Phil (Foden) has been amazing this season so deserves it but it keeps me on my toes.
“I think it’s possible (to play alongside Foden). When I started at 16 or 17 nobody thought it was possible with David Silva. It will be a little bit vice versa but I don’t see why not. We have not done it that much.
“I just try to be more of an example with the way I am on the pitch. I won’t be the person to tell others how to live their lives but I try to show on the pitch. I have played with Phil for seven or eight years now so I don’t feel like he is a youngster anymore. He is an established superstar in our team. He is just amazing.”
“We watched City and how they pressed high and I scored early against one of the biggest teams in the world. In the second half they came back strongly. They are a good team.
“It was the plan. We tried it and we scored once. We had many chances after but we didn’t score and they did.
“It’s tough but we will keep working. We focus on the next game now.
“He (Oliver Glasner) gives us some new details. He has new formations and a lot of things are not the same. We try to put those things in. We are in a good way. We focus each game and then we will see.”
“It’s a very difficult place to come. The fans that travel every week, we thank them so much because it means so much. To get the win is amazing.
“The main message was to keep on going. The chances would come. We needed to get into the box and that’s what we did.
“As a kid you dream of scoring a goal and celebrating. I want to get more goals and assists.
“I don’t know but I enjoy playing midfield the most. I want to contribute but the manager decides where I’m most effective.
“It’s just like every other title race. We have to win every game. There’s three teams in it and we have to be the strongest team.”
Job done for City. After a first half during which the hosts were more than up for the challenge and the draw, Pep made that change on the left and thanks to a De Bruyne masterclass they ran away with it. They can focus on Madrid now, knowing they’ve put the pressure on Liverpool and Arsenal. 
There are a few tempers fraying at the moment – it’s windy and the match is done, call the whistle now, I say! 
Pep makes another change – Bernardo on for De Bruyne. That was an absolute masterclass from the Belgian. He’s so lovely to watch, balance, two feet, head up, vision:  he has the lot when on song. 
There will be seven minutes of added time. 
The least surprising thing you’ll bear all weekend is that Kevin de Bruyne has been awarded the man-of-the-match gong. 
For once an award that no one can argue with – that’s the shocking thing!
Nervy (ish) times for City as we get closer to 90 minutes. The returning Olise, on for Ayew, whips in a cross from the right, with his left boot, that just arcs away from Schlupp at the back post. That would have been interesting had he been able to get on the end of that and find the back of the net. 
Crystal Palace 2 Man City 4
Édouard finishes a well-worked move. Palace haven’t given up and can play a bit when they try, they play from the back and are patient before going down the inside-left channel. Schlupp then crosses into the box and Édouard gets in a first-time shot that finds the back of the net. 
Based on their first-half showing, at least, the hosts deserve that. 
17 – Kevin De Bruyne has assisted 17 of Erling Haaland’s goals for Manchester City; the most from one Premier League player to another since the start of last season (all competitions). Synergy. pic.twitter.com/4LK24LuwFv
Nearly a Palace second/consolation. City lose the ball in the final third and the ball falls to Édouard, on for Mateta. But his shot is saved by the onrushing Ortega. 
Useful player that Foden replacement…
On TNT Sports commentary they are all, especially Joey Cole, worried this could end up 6/7-1…to be fair to Palace’s defenders, they’ve played well but have not had a break this half. It’s been constant pressure and against this City side that will tell unless you have a breather by dint of a bit of possession…
If you’re a Palace fan you’re wanting the whistle to go now. The bad news is that there are a minimum of 16 minutes left…
That change at half time (Akanji replacing Gvardiol) has worked wonders. Grealish has been at the heart of everything good about City this half. He did little in the first 45 – but thanks to the substitution he’s been able to work his magic and posed problems for the hosts. 
Crystal Palace 1 Man City 4
De Bruyne masterclass continues with a great strike. Grealish (him again…) does well down the left, he exchanges passes with the Belgian before cutting one back into the box. There’s a lovely lay off from Rodri and De Bruyne spanks it first time with his left to give Henderson no chance. Delightful. 
Kevin De Bruyne with thumps home his second of the afternoon! 🚀Man City lead 4-1! 🔥📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/hphD0oqIA5
Crystal Palace 1 Man City 3
Haaland with simple one-touch finish. 
Thought a goal was coming and when City move the ball like this you’re not Mystic Meg if your prediction comes true. Grealish has the ball inside the box on the left, has dances towards the six-yard box, De Bruyne makes a run to the byline, he’s found by Grealish, hits the ball across the box, and it’s an easy finish from cyborg striker. 
That was attacking, passing football at its simple, effective best. 
Change for Palace: Schlupp is on for Eze, who I forgot was on the pitch. He’s not really had a kick, so no shock to see him make way. 
More nice passing from City, it’s all in front of Palace, though, and Dias’s hopeful ball sails over the byline for a goal kick. 
While stats are, a lot of the time, for prats, this little nugget is telling. The past five minutes have seen City enjoy 82 per cent possession to Palace’s 18…
It’s as you were – Palace are keeping their shape well, but this is as much a mental test for them as it is a physical one. 
Prediction: Another City goal isn’t far away. 
It’s all City at the moment – they’re seeing all of the ball, being patient, moving it from flank to flank. The killer ball never comes, however, and the hosts breathe a sigh of relief. 
De Bruyne hits a corner to the edge of the D for Grealish. The England man is free, takes a touch, before firing over the bar. It looked as though Grealish wasn’t expecting that. 
That was City’s 12th attempt on goal, to Palace’s three…
Rico Lewis likes facing Crystal Palace. He scored his first League goal for City against them in the 2-2 home draw earlier this season and has just netted his second top-flight goal to put City ahead at Selhurst Park.
Palace will still fancy their chances of causing problems in transition but they need to press well and at the moment City are keeping the ball with ease. 
The change worked for City. They had no joy down the left in the first half, Grealish has little help from the now-departed Gvardiol (subbed, not dead…to clear that up…) so in has come Akanji. Grealish was able in that goal to attack the Palace backline for the first time, get the cross in and hey-presto a goal comes of it. 
Crystal Palace 1 Man City 2
Rico Lewis scores from just outside the six-yard box. 
Just the start to this half City and Pep wanted. Grealish clips the ball into the box from the left, Palace, for once, cannot deal with it and Lewis has a relatively easy chance and the youngster makes no mistake. Easy peasy, football at its most uncomplicated. 
They’re back under way in south London. One change for City sees Gvardiol make way for Akanji. 
Rodri did not enjoy that half: it was not one of his better first 45 minutes for City. He had the ball nicked off him by Jordan Ayew, who hit the bar. And it was a poor backpass from the midfielder that forced Stefan Ortega to brilliantly Cruyff turn his way past Mateta and out of trouble. 
Good, entertaining half of football that. Palace are well worth heading into the break level – they’ve made like tough for City, defended well and look dangerous in transition in the visitors’ half. That will make it an interesting team talk for Pep. 
Credit to Palace these past few minutes and this entire half. They’ve come back into it in terms of possession and have asked questions of the City backline. Throughout the half the hosts have defended resolutely and the title chasers haven’t had everything go their way. 
Palace think they have a great shout for a penalty. The ball is deliver high from the left and Mateta falls under the challenge of Gvardiol. The hosts, as you’d expect, are certain it’s a penalty, the ref, Paul Tierney, isn’t and VAR also (this time making a quick decision) also remain unmoved. 
Palace see as much of the ball as they’ve done all match – they work it well down the right before the ball comes into the box. There are two poor touches, the second from Hughes, but that only causes a bit of chaos in the City box and the ball squirms, via Rodri,  to Mateta and only an outrageous bit of skill from Ortega in the City goal – what looks like a Cruyff turn  – stops the hosts from going 2-1 up. Remarkable. 
So close to a second for Palace thanks to a collector’s item: Rodri losing the ball! 
The City midfield metronome has the ball stolen from him by Ayew  inside his own half. The Palace man has only one thing on his mind from that moment on – head down before hitting a shot that goes just over (to be fair to him, it may have clipped the top of the bar). Should have done better…chances such as that one will be few and far between. 
Palace are keeping their shape well, making the visitors work hard. A lot of it is in front of them and its easy (relatively so) to defend against. City will be looking to get in behind Palace which is what they nearly do thanks to a De Bruyne flick to Oscar Bobb, the ball just spinning away from the Cheltenham horse-a-like. 
City with all the possession, still, but Henderson hasn’t, bar that Haaland one-on-one, hasn’t been forced into making a save these past 10 minutes. 
One thing that gets forgotten when people ask ‘where’s the Grealish of Aston Villa gone?’ is the fact he didn’t play on the left for Villa. Grealish played his best football at Villa under Dean Smith in the centre of midfield, as a number eight, where he was always involved and could drift left or right. He has far less licence to do that with City.
Kevin De Bruyne is in the mood today. He scored his first Premier League goal since January to level the scores and created a great chance for Erling Haaland, who should have given City the lead. Jack Grealish has also been lively on the left, winning free-kicks and corners. 
From the resulting set piece Ward is again to the fore getting in ahead of any City attacker to concede another corner. 
From that corner it’s a case of ‘copy and paste’ as Ward again beats the visitors to the ball. 
Did I say the Palace defender was having a good game? He’s been immense so far. 
Oscar Bobb, who sounds like the name of a horse charging up the hill at Cheltenham, is playing well. Lots of lovely one-touch stuff, always making himself available. It’s still all City and it’s a case of attack vs defence. 
Ward again does well as he tackles Grealish on the left, conceding a corner in the process. Grealish gets up gingerly. 
City have enjoyed the lion’s share of possession – no shock there. Bar De Bruyne’s world-class goal Palace have defended well. Expect this to be the pattern for the rest of the match, the hosts looking to catch the visitors on the counter, as they did with the opener. 
Did I say this was an entertaining game?! 
First chance in the matter of seconds goes the hosts’ way as the ball comes to Ayew whose shot on the edge of the box goes just over. Then City have possession, it’s at the feet of De Bruyne who knows exactly where Haaland is and plays a peach of a ball through to the striker whose shot is brilliantly stopped by the onrushing Henderson. 
De Bruyne is playing like a god at the moment. Useful player…
That shows why City are most people’s favourites for the title. 
Drop Foden? NO WAY! Well, to quote Wayne from Wayne’s World ‘WAY!’ especially if the player you’re bringing in is Kevin de Bruyne. World class comes in for world class. 
Pep blew his Belgian captain a kiss during the celebrations.  I suspect partly because it was such a fine strike, but also, I suspect, because it justified the ‘controversial’ swap. 
Crystal Palace 1 Man City 1
Brilliance from De Bruyne. 
Grealish does well down the left before laying it off to his captain. There’s plenty of work to do, but he muscles his way goalward before unleashing an unstoppable shot to the far corner of the net. 
Absolutely stunning! 🤩Kevin De Bruyne returns to the starting XI with a bang! 💥📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/8yCO8E5qRH
More City pressure in and around the Palace box sees the hosts defend well but the ball comes out to Rodri who hits a half-volley first time, the attempt is creeping into the far corner of the net but Henderson dives low to his left and gets a vital hand to it. 
Good, entertaining game so far with Palace, and Ward in particular, defending well. 
City keep the ball well – as they tend to do – on the edge of the box before Alvarez fires in a low shot-cum-cross that Ward does very well to clear with danger lurking. 
Another great chance for the hosts as they again press City and attack in numbers, it’s four on two but Wharton’s ball out left is too wide and the chance goes begging. Palace should have at least got a shot in there, if not gone two goals to the good.
To state the obvious: Not the start that would be pleasing the hard-to-please Pep. 
Crystal Palace 1 Man City 0
Shock early lead for the hosts thanks to a fine Mateta strike. 
It comes at the end of a brilliant one-touch passing ‘triangle’ just inside their own half that ends which ends with Wharton hitting a fantastic through-ball that Mateta latches on to. He’s in on goal and while some (this author included) think he’s held onto the ball too long, the forward knows what he’s doing, drawing in a challenge before hitting a shot low past Ortega in the City goal. Clinical and beautiful goal. 
Jean-Philippe Mateta gives Crystal Palace the lead! 🔥Man City trail early on… 👀📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/sxwFnVijdY
Early corner for the visitors as De Bruyne is found by Bobb. The Belgian will take the set piece – can they put Palace under early pressure? ‘Nope’ is the answer as the hosts defend resolutely at a windy Selhurst Park. 
After both sides take the knee, they’re underway in south London. Palace are in their traditional red and blue number, City in their understated away white and purple kit. 
There’s been no away win in the Premier League since March 10…City have to end that stretch if they’re to win the title, at least according to Pep they do…
And we’re moments away from kick-off. 
Can City put the pressure on Liverpool and Arsenal, or will Palace give that pair an early weekend fillip? 
Granted, Kevin de Bruyne isn’t a bad replacement, but here’s a good read on why Palace may well be delighted to see the City maestro on the sidelines at the start of the match. 
READ: Shades of Wayne Rooney in Phil Foden’s latest Manchester City masterclass
Settling in at Selhurst Park 💺#ManCity pic.twitter.com/CKoNnRtBSW
 
By James Ducker
Pep Guardiola says Manchester City’s bid for an unprecedented fourth Premier League title will effectively be over if the champions drop points against Crystal Palace today.
The City manager has warned his players that there is no margin for error at Selhurst Park amid the opportunity to draw level on points with Liverpool and put some pressure on the leaders and second-placed Arsenal.
“We’re third, not far away from the top of the Premier League, but if we drop points it will be almost impossible,” said Guardiola. “So we have to win that game and after that we will have more time, not for recovery, but to prepare [for Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday].
“So I have not had much time to see Real Madrid. I said, when we have been fighting for nine or 10 months for the Premier League, why should I be distracted now from this important game against Palace, when the distance is so close.”
City ended their long wait to win the Champions League last year and are the favourites to retain the trophy this season.
But Guardiola – whose side face Real in the first leg of their quarter-final at the Bernabeu on Tuesday – said the priority for him remains the Premier League title as City eye a sixth crown in seven seasons.
“I love it [the Premier League],” he said. “Of the domestic trophies, it is the most important – Premier League or La Liga. I’m not going to say the Champions League is not nice, of course it is.
“So now we have it and know how it feels in our soul and we are at peace, for the fact we’ve got it. But it’s just the nicest [the Premier League] because it’s more difficult, there are more games, you know every week, two or three games.
“The Champions League, of course, is important, but it depends on something you perhaps can’t control. Both are incredibly important, but the Premier League proves a lot. It shows the mentality of the teams.”
 
CRYSTAL PALACE XI TO FACE MAN CITY: Henderson, Ward, Mitchell, Lerma, Ayew, Eze, Munoz, Mateta, Anderson, Hughes, Wharton. Subs: Matthews, Tomkins, Olise, Schlupp, Clyne, Edouard, Ahamada, Ozoh, Umeh-Chibueze
No changes to the side that lost at Bournemouth on Tuesday. The good news that will cheer every Palace fan is that Michael Olise returns to the squad after being out for seven games.
MAN CITY XI TO FACE CRYSTAL PALACE: Ortega, Dias, Stones, Haaland, Grealish, Rodri, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Gvardiol, Bobb, Lewis. Subs: Ederson, Kovacic, Doku, Silva, Gomez, Akanji, Nunes, Foden, Susoho
As he tends to do Pep Guardiola has mixed it up for today’s clash. John Stones, Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Oscar Bobb come into the side. Manuel Akanji, Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden are the ones to make way. Ederson returns following his injury at Liverpool last month but only as a substitute.
On dropping Phil Foden to the bench…
“It was difficult, but it’s not just him. It’s always tough with all the guys. But there are a lot of players and a lot of minutes  and that’s why we decided [to start on bench]. We need [the players] fresh, I would love to have him on the pitch, but there are a lot of games and a lot of players.”
On whether this is the first time he’s been involved in a three-horse race for the title…
“Yes…in Spain it was always Barcelona and Real Madrid, in Germany always Bayern, and here it’s always [just been] two teams.”
On what he’s expecting from Palace today…
“Good structure, five at the back, good transistions. We always struggle against Palace, even at home.”
On whether he thinks City need to win every match left to win the title…
“Yes.”
COME ON YOU PALACE#CPFC | #CRYMCI
Your City side for #CRYMCI 🩵XI | Ortega Moreno, Lewis, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, De Bruyne (C), Bobb, Alvarez, Grealish, HaalandSUBS | Ederson, Kovacic, Doku, Bernardo, Gomez, Akanji, Nunes, Foden, Susoho#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/UV0sdKblcf
…Crystal Palace may not be on the tip of your tongue. But the south Londoners have a half-decent record against Pep’s players having picked up five points from their past five meetings. City also rarely take Palace to the cleaners as they have done to other (apologies to those who may be about to be caused some offence…) small-just-hope-to-stay-up teams. So it’s little surprise to hear Guardiola tell his side to forget Real for now and focus on the battle in store at Selhurst Park. 
Pep Guardiola is refusing to look beyond Manchester City’s visit to Crystal Palace today, despite Real Madrid looming, as a Selhurst Park slip-up would leave their Premier League title hopes in tatters.
A win for City in today’s lunchtime kick-off will move them level on points with leaders Liverpool, who head to Old Trafford for a clash with arch rivals Manchester United tomorrow afternoon.
Guardiola accepts a draw or defeat would all but end their aim of claiming a fourth-successive title so even the prospect of a trip to the Spanish capital on Tuesday evening will not divert his attention.
City are also defending their Champions League crown and take on Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the quarter-final first leg but Guardiola will only start thinking about the clash after facing Palace.
“Honestly, if we were 18 points in front of second in the Premier League, I would have two eyes on Madrid but it’s not the case,” Guardiola said.
“We’re third, not far away from the top of the Premier League, but if we drop points it will be almost impossible.
“We have to win that game and after that we will have more time, not for recovery, but to prepare. So I have not had much time to see Real Madrid.
“When we have been fighting for nine or 10 months for the Premier League title, why should I be distracted now from this important game against Palace, when the distance is so close?”
Guardiola is mulling over whether to restore Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne to his starting line-up in south London after benching the pair in the 4-1 midweek victory over Aston Villa.
City will be favourites to beat a side that have claimed just two points from their last 12 and sit 14th in the table but Palace hit back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at the Etihad Stadium in mid-December.
Guardiola, who could welcome back goalkeeper Ederson this weekend but will be continue to be without defenders Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake, is aware he cannot take the threat of the Eagles lightly if City are to remain in contention for a trophy he continues to prize above all others.
“I love it,” he said. “Of the domestic trophies, it is the most important. I’m not going to say the Champions League is not nice, of course it is.
“We have it and know how it feels in our soul and we are at peace, for the fact we’ve got it. But (the Premier League) is just the nicest because it’s more difficult, there are more games, every week, two or three games.
“The Champions League, of course, is important, but it depends on something you perhaps can’t control.
“Both are incredibly important, but the Premier League proves a lot. It shows the mentality of the teams, being there all the time for many, many years.
“From my education at home or whatever, every day you have to do the best – that means a lot to me personally.”
Phil Foden took his tally for the season to 14 goals with a hat-trick against top-four hopefuls Villa and Guardiola admitted he could be in the running for Premier League player of the season.
“He’s a contender like many others, many players play a good season,” Guardiola added. “He can be a contender for sure.”