Guardiola praises Fernando performance at right-back

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Guardiola praises Fernando performance at right-back

The midfielder played perfectly as an emergency right-back to help Manchester City compete physically with West Brom, lauded his manager
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised Fernando after the midfielder perfectly tackled the unfamiliar role of right-back in Saturday's 4-0 win over West Brom.


With City's senior men in the position, Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna out due to respective foot and hamstring injuries, Guardiola turned to Fernando to start in defence at The Hawthorns.

The Brazilian contributed to only a second domestic clean sheet this season for the Premier League leaders, starting at the back despite teenager Pablo Maffeo impressed in the role during Wednesday's 1-0 EFL Cup loss to Manchester United.

And Guardiola explained that he needed Fernando's added physicality to combat Tony Pulis's side while praising the 29-year-old's improvisation in a makeshift position.


"We had two full-backs out. I thought to play with Maffeo but considering I think this team [West Brom] is a little bit tall, tall guys…we had a guy with a good mentality like Fernando,"Guardiola said at his post-match press conference.

"He is good with the ball, he is strong in the air.


We spoke yesterday in training about his position and he did really, really good."

City came under pressure during the second half after Sergio Aguero's double put them in the ascendancy, with a late double from Ilkay Gundogan settling nerves and sealing the points after six games without a win in all competitions.


"In the second half [West Brom] showed me again how tough the Premier League is,"Guardiola continued.

"For me, it is hard to understand why in the first half we had control and then in the second half immediately with the same players–they changed their tactics–the game was on.

"If they scored in the 60th minute or 65th minute everything can happen. The moment when Gundogan scored the goal the game was over."