Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has praised one of his key midfielders after his outstanding performance in his side’s huge win over Bournemouth on Saturday.
City picked the Cherries apart in a 6-1 win at the Etihad that pushed them to the top of the league table, albeit temporarily.
At the heart of their win was Bernardo Silva, who put in a masterclass with two goals for his side. His second goal was exceptional, with the Portugal international racing down the flank and jinking past Lloyd Kelly before dinking the ball over a helpless Ionut Andrei Radu in the Bournemouth goal.
After the game, Guardiola praised Silva’s second goal, hailing it as a Messi-esque finish.
“What can I say about him?” Guardiola asked (via 90min).
“He is playing holding, on the right, on the left. I push him to score goals. It’s the next step in his career. You are an incredibly good player.
“The last goal reminded me of Messi, the way he did it. He’s an extraordinary player.”
The Catalan coach also discussed the remarkable performance of winger Jeremy Doku. The new signing produced a Man of the Match performance in the game, as he had a hand in five goals out of six goals scored.
Guardiola admitted he was surprised by how good Doku played, saying: “He surprised all of us – he’s a great footballer.
“He reads every action for exactly what he has to do. His quality is close to the box. Always we talk about that.
“Go, dribble, and go because it’s difficult to find a player today with the ability to play in small spaces, and he is one of the fastest players over five metres.
“It’s incredible how he changes the rhythm in five metres. After that, when he’s not able to dribble, he makes good decisions, and I’m impressed by that. That’s why, for me, he’s a great, great footballer.”
Manchester City are back in action in midweek as they face Young Boys in the Champions League.
