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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about his chats with Nico Gonzalez during the 2-0 win over Huddersfield
Pep Guardiola wants to bring more out of Nico Gonzalez after holding several impromptu coaching clinics with the Manchester City midfielder during their win over Huddersfield.
Gonzalez started his first game since the 2-0 defeat at Tottenham, with Rodri having been preferred for the last four matches. The Ballon d'Or winner was left out of the squad entirely for the Carabao Cup match, with Gonzalez given the chance to impress.
There was plenty that he did that Guardiola liked, but he was also keen for the midfielder to be more aware of how he could help the team. The manager pulled his player over to him several times during the game for a debrief and then Guardiola and Gonzalez were the last two off the pitch after the 2-0 win with the City boss demonstrating what he wanted.
"Nico’s a guy who listens a lot and wants to improve and asks me what to do in different circumstances," Guardiola said. "When you are on the pitch, its better because you are there and can explain better.
"Nico is a young lad and he is incredibly coachable. When players want to be coachable, it's a gift for all the managers.
"There were others who it is more difficult to tell them. These guys must be helped until the end and he has to realise especially in the second half as much as we were able to contact with him and make control forward and break the lines, every time was a chance.
"Three times in the second half we broke the lines with Phil [Foden], Rico [Lewis] and a winger arrived it was a chance. He has to use more and more. He has this potential to do it. In the next games, in his process he will get it."
Gonzalez arrived as a £50m signing in January from Porto as City looked to deal with the loss of Rodri to a serious injury. The 23-year-old insisted he would not be a direct replacement and prefers to play a different role, but has become the next best thing over the last nine months.
Kalvin Phillips made his first appearance in nearly two years off the bench at Huddersfield and Mateo Kovacic has returned to training this week for the first time since last season after his Achilles injury, but Gonzalez is still seen as the best deputy for Rodri.
City take on Burnley on Saturday before travelling to Monaco and Brentford next week.
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