Craig Burley says if he were picking the Man City team, he'd choose Sergio Aguero to start because of his scintillating goalscoring form over the years. Manchester City's Sergio Aguero admitted he was very happy to extend his current contract at the club until 2021. Manchester City's Pep Guardiola insists he is hopeful Kevin De Bruyne will play again this season and rubbished comments that his side looked physically tired against Lyon.
MANCHESTER, England -- Sergio Aguero can help Gabriel Jesus succeed him when his new contract expires in 2021, according to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
The club's record goalscorer signed a one-year contract extension on Friday and has already claimed a hat trick this season with the defending champions two points behind leaders Chelsea.
Jesus, who signed a two-year extension himself in August, is 158 goals behind Aguero's all-time record of 204 goals for the club. But, at 21, he is nine years younger than his teammate and Guardiola believes he can get better.
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"Yes of course [he can learn from Aguero] and Sergio from Gabriel and myself from my players and my players from myself. Everybody can improve," Guardiola told a news conference ahead of Saturday's game at Cardiff City. "It's a good model to learn, especially how Aguero moves in the 18-yard box."
Gabriel has only one goal from seven appearances this season and has looked short of confidence after a disappointing World Cup when he failed to score as Brazil were dumped out in the quarterfinals.
He started City's surprise midweek defeat at home to Lyon in the Champions League, but Guardiola says he is pleased with his early season form.
"He's happy. [He's been] good," the City boss said. "His movement, his high-pressing is the best in the world, but he's still young and when they are young players they have a gap to improve.
"We are going to help in the final third, to take decisions, to find spaces. But the most important thing for Gabriel is to show the desire to improve and pay attention in the training sessions and he will get it.
"The World Cup I was not there, but they are young and that's the challenge, about what you have done and if you are able to overcome those situations."
Aguero is likely to be back in the starting lineup for the trip to Wales after recovering from an ankle knock that forced him off in last Saturday's victory over Fulham.
Guardiola could also start Leroy Sane, who suffered an ankle injury in last season's FA Cup win over Cardiff after a terrible tackle from Joe Bennett. Afterward, the City boss was unhappy with the physical approach of Neil Warnock's side.
"It's a new game and that's all," Guardiola said, when asked if he was concerned about a repeat performance. "It was months ago, a different competition, the FA Cup, now it's a Premier League game.
"We are going to handle our game to play our game and try to maintain the Premier League physicality. It happens in all the games and now we try to make a good performance."
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Source: espn.co.uk