Pep Guardiola is hoping his Manchester City side can make it three successive Premier League wins, when they host Aston Villa in a significant match in the race for Champions League qualification.
City come into this game off the back of a 2-0 away win against Everton.
Teenager Nico O’Reilly broke the deadlock with just six minutes of the match remaining, before Mateo Kovačić added a second in stoppage time.
The current Premier League holders are just a point ahead of Villa in the five-team battle for the last three Champions League places that are up for grabs.
While Guardiola was quick to credit O’Reilly for his impact in recent weeks, it was a former player that received the majority of praise from the Spanish manager.
Pep Guardiola praises exceptional Morgan Rogers
In the reverse fixture, Morgan Rogers scored a second-half winner to secure a 2-1 win against his former club, who never gave him a first-team appearance.
The 22-year-old, who was only 16 when he joined City from West Brom in 2019, was loaned out to Lincoln, Bournemouth and Blackpool before Rogers was sold to Middlesbrough.
As reported by journalist Fabrizio Romano, Guardiola has hailed the impact Rogers had had at Villa.
He said: “Morgan Rogers was in Man City second team and trained sometimes with us
“The glimpse, we could see something, he could do it. But the impact that has been at Villa has been… What a player!
“We had an exceptional player here, absolutely!”
The Englishman has excelled at Aston Villa and could come back to haunt his former club in this crucial Premier League encounter.
Rogers’ numbers this season
Rogers has kicked on at the West Midlands club this season following his breakthrough campaign last year.
The playmaker has returned 27 goal contributions this season, which includes a goal against Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League.
Rogers also registered an assist in Villa’s emphatic 4-1 victory against Newcastle in the last league outing.
His terrific performances at club level earned him a call up to the England national team in November.
Rogers then made his senior debut against Greece in the UEFA Nations League, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 3-0 victory.
The post Pep Guardiola admits surprise at former player’s instant Premier League impact after Man City exit appeared first on HITC.
