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Premier League | Gameweek 9
Oct 19, 2019 at 5.30pm UK
 
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Pep Guardiola delighted with makeshift defence in Crystal Palace win

:Headline: Pep Guardiola delighted with makeshift defence in Crystal Palace win: ID:375568: from db_amp
Rodri had to drop back alongside fellow midfielder Fernandinho into the heart of the visitors' back four at Selhurst Park.

Pep Guardiola paid tribute to Manchester City midfielders Fernandinho and Rodri after they kept a clean sheet in defence to help the Premier League champions win 2-0 at Crystal Palace.

With John Stones recently back from injury and only able to take a place on the bench and Nicolas Otamendi absent after suffering a knock while on international duty with Argentina, City were left short of options at centre-back.

That meant it was left to Rodri to drop back alongside fellow midfielder Fernandinho into the heart of City’s defence at Selhurst Park, where first-half goals from Gabriel Jesus and David Silva saw them move to within five points of leaders Liverpool, albeit having played a game more.

“We had a lot of chances, unfortunately we cannot convert more, but it’s OK, we have next time,” Guardiola said.

Fernandinho was at the heart of City’s defence (John Walton/PA)

“Nico had a big kick in the international with Argentina and in training yesterday I decided and thought about it.

“It’s a long season and we are going to use alternatives. John is now back, but he didn’t play for a long time.

“I thank them (Fernandinho and Rodri) both so much because it is not easy to play different positions with strikers like Crystal Palace have in Wilfried Zaha and Jordan Ayew and Christian Benteke. They did really well.”

Jesus started up front for City with Sergio Aguero, who is joint top of the Premier League scoring charts, an unused substitute at Selhurst Park.

The 22-year-old Brazil international broke the deadlock in the 39th minute with his 50th goal for City, and it proved an invaluable contribution as Guardiola’s men bounced back from their shock 2-0 home loss to Wolves two weeks ago.

The City boss said: “We have two incredible strikers. I will not talk about how important Sergio Aguero is for this club and ourselves. He is so important.

“Gabriel Jesus came back from Brazil and had rhythm and Sergio was 10 days without rhythm and today I decided (who played), but both are important.

“When Sergio plays he is a good level and when Gabriel plays he is a good level. I decide it on many things.”

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach was less happy with VAR’s decision not to award Kevin De Bruyne a penalty in the second half when he went down in the area following a challenge with Zaha.

“It’s diving. It’s diving, it’s diving,” Guardiola sarcastically stated. “Every weekend it is diving. Bournemouth, here. But against Tottenham it was hands, real hands in the 94th minute. It’s diving again.”

“I thank them (Fernandinho and Rodri) both so much because it is not easy to play different positions with strikers like Crystal Palace have in Wilfried Zaha and Jordan Ayew and Christian Benteke. They did really well”
- Pep Guardiola on his makeshift centre-backs

Palace came into the match having climbed up to sixth place on the back of successive wins over Norwich and West Ham, and another victory would have lifted them above their opponents.

However, it was not to be and Palace boss Roy Hodgson admitted: “They’re just a very good team.

“At the moment we’re not fighting on exactly a level playing field. We are playing against a team which is packed full of world-class players and even the ones who come off the bench and comes in when the world-class players goes down for some reason, he is also probably world class.”

He added: “It was hard to get the composure that we were looking to get in order to mount attacks of our own but we kept going and I’m pleased about that and I’m proud of the team for doing that.”

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1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
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