After Manchester City thrashed Fulham 4-0 on Saturday, Pep Guardiola admitted Josko Gvardiol has done something this season which has surprised him.
Josko Gvardiol scored a brilliant brace to spearhead City’s latest victory, with Steve Nicol comparing him to a midfielder when he is in the final third.
Gvardiol scored a pair of excellently-taken goals at Craven Cottage.
The first one essentially was a solo goal with the way he dribbled the ball past Issa Diop before dispatching the ball past Bernd Leno while his second was a striker’s finish.
Guardiola says Gvardiol has done something “unexpected” this season
Bernardo Silva whipped a dangerous cross into the box, which Josko Gvardiol latched on to as he slid the ball into the back of the net.
The £77.6 million man, who Mateo Kovacic rightly claimed is in “unbelievable” form has been amongst the goals this season, scoring five in his last seven outings for City.
The goals have emerged against Real Madrid, Luton Town, Nottingham Forest and Fulham.
As Manchester City defeated Fulham, Pep Guardiola revealed that Josko Gvardiol emerging as a handy goalscorer this season has come as a surprise to him.
“Absolutely unexpected. He is unbelievable with both feet. Normally, the left is difficult to find, he is more comfortable with his right. Big goal at Santiago Bernabeu, goal today with the right foot”, he told BBC’s Match of the Day.
Pep Guardiola also had a word of advice for Josko Gvardiol as he felt his display in the second half against Fulham was underwhelming.
“Second half, he was not at his best, a lot of balls and as a defender, you have to be tight. For him to add the goals he is, it is more than welcome, but he has to be more tight. But he is 21 years old, he will improve.”
Josko Gvardiol has scored important goals
Much like Pep Guardiola, perhaps not a single fan or pundit expected Josko Gvardiol to chip in with goals when Manchester City signed him.
But what is equally as impressive is the games Gvardiol has scored in.
Against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final at the Santiago Bernabeu to give the Sky Blues the lead at the time.
Gvardiol’s goals against Luton, Forest and Fulham have also been key for City as they have come in potentially title-deciding games.
If Manchester City do go on to win the league, Pep Guardiola will look back on how Josko Gvardiol chipped in with goals as vital.
