Pep Guardiola hails Riyad Mahrez’s form for Manchester City after goal

Riyad Mahrez decorated Manchester City’s victory against Everton on Saturday with a glittering display that left Pep Guardiola purring over his “gift” and illustrated why the Algerian has been Manchester City’s standout performer of the campaign.

Mahrez was back to the level that led to him being voted PFA Players Player of the Year in 2015-16, the season in which the 28-year-old proved pivotal in Leicester City’s title triumph. At Goodison Park he operated on a level that had him above even the oft-peerless Kevin De Bruyne.

It was the winger’s first-half burst along the right that initiated Gabriel Jesus’s opener. Then, when Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalised, Mahrez’s 25-yard free-kick following the break was a sweetly directed thing of beauty. He was also instrumental in Raheem Sterling’s third, combining with Sergio Agüero to create the opening.

As Guardiola said: “All this season he is playing outstanding. The action on the first goal, the second one, the two assists he did, one especially to Raheem. His commitment defensively. One year he was the best player in the league so is an exceptional player. I’m happy for him because he’s playing at an incredible level.”

In the 3-0 Champions League win at Shakhtar Donetsk 10 days ago there was a moment at the start of the game when the ball was pinged to Mahrez at speed. He killed it dead, moved inside and the tone was set, the player going on to register the opener.

Mahrez arrived in the summer of 2018 and Guardiola said before this season began that this could be his year. So far he has started five games, four of them in the league. “I said many times in our press conference last season that I think he played good but played [only a] few [times],” the manager said before pointing to Mahrez’s captaining his country to glory in July. “I think the Africa Cup [of Nations] made him believe how good he can be. He knows it but I think it helps to win this kind of trophy for Algeria, for his country.

“It was so important for him. From the beginning he arrived with an incredible mentality, positive and the way he plays. He has the feeling when he gets that ball in that position, the 18-yard box close to the area, something is going to happen. It’s a feeling and I think all the spectators can have that feeling and that is because he has a gift. He has something special.”

Of the free-kick that beat Jordan Pickford to his right, Mahrez said: “Firstly I wanted to put it the other side of the keeper. Then I noticed there was a big space, I tried to whip it in on the other side and it had a little bounce before he touched it, so it was difficult for him.”

City’s victory ensured Liverpool’s lead was kept at five points. “It’s very important,” Mahrez said. “It was 1-1 so to score at this moment of the game was crucial and with the third goal we killed the game.”

Mahrez’s form is also a further challenge to Leroy Sané. The German is injured but, came close to leaving in the summer and when he returns, a wish for more game-time may be stymied by the Algerian.

Part of Guardiola’s success is predicated on competition in all positions, as was shown at Everton by Jesus being preferred to Agüero, the Brazilian subsequently scoring. “I try to make all of them involved, it’s simple like that,” said Guardiola. “I know they maybe don’t understand but I try. Some players don’t play regularly, less minutes than the other ones, but the important players I try to let them play.

“[Ilkay] Gündogan is at an incredible level, Kevin [De Bruyne] is. What can I say about David [Silva]? Gabriel also. On Friday Sergio felt something a little bit in the leg. I said, ‘OK, to start the game I prefer Gabriel’. In the last minutes, go [to] Sergio. He came in and makes two actions to shoot. The third goal came from him.”

source: theguardian.com