As featured on NewsNow: Football news

Guardiola hails De Bruyne as Man City thump Bournemouth

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was pleased with their 4-0 rout of Bournemouth on Saturday.

Kevin De Bruyne was arguably the star of the show, scoring a superb outside-of-the-boot goal to make it 2-0, before assisting Phil Foden for City's third.

But Guardiola felt the key to victory was the collective quality of his side.

"As a team we did a really good performance," Guardiola said.

"Bournemouth were incredibly well structured defensively, but not just defensively offensively as well.

"They attract you with the short passes and then switch the play. Quite similar movement to how Tottenham try to do it.

"Defensively they defend so deep and narrow, you have to go outside.

"We started really well, with three or four corners and we had chances.

"After we scored one or two, they don't want to attack and we had to be patient.

"It is not easy for many reasons. We made a really good performance again."

Guardiola described De Bruyne's performance against Bournemouth as "incredible" and believes the midfielder now has extra hunger of scoring goals.

"I think Kevin, since last season, before he was just concerned with assists, now he is enjoying winning games and scoring goals," Guardiola said.

"The pleasure to score goals is big. It is important against that he scored a goal.

"When I was in Munich he was in Wolfsburg and I think he was the best player in the Bundesliga.

"He was a really good player before we arrived and he will be good after us.

"The goal was good. There was no space with this type of shot and it was an incredible goal.

"It was an incredible performance, the assist for Phil came from him.

"Against Bournemouth it is difficult to do because they defend the box and they hold their line really well."

Video of the day:

About the author

Paul Vegas

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free