Pep Guardiola has hailed the enduring class of Sergio Aguero as the striker nears another Manchester City goalscoring milestone.
The Argentinian, with 157 league goals, is one short of equalling the club record held jointly by Tommy Johnson and Eric Brook.
Aguero, 30, is already the club's overall record scorer, having powered on to 219 since surpassing Brook's previous best mark of 177 last season.
City manager Guardiola said: "The big players need to appear in the key games, the big moments, and he did it. Hopefully he can continue doing it. In the big games we need important players.
"(It is) not (Maurizio) Sarri, Pep, Jurgen (Klopp) or any manager. This game belongs to the players and important games belong to special players. That's what he's about.
"Sometimes the best tennis players, when they need a point to save a break, they make ace. The big moments, always the big athletes come.
"Sometimes players hide in those moments but others step forward and say, 'I'm the boss and I'm going to win this game'. The big clubs need these kind of players. It's simple."
