“I don’t forget” – Pep Guardiola names two Manchester City players for special contributions during Premier League season

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been keen to credit two of his first-team stars in particular for their contributions to success over the course of the campaign.

The newly-crowned Premier League champions made it four successive top-flight triumphs at the weekend through a 3-1 win over West Ham and two goals from Phil Foden, with a further strike from Rodri.

The culmination of the Premier League season brought an end to a hotly-contested title challenge between Manchester City and Arsenal, with Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta going head-to-head for the second campaign running.

But the latest season has not come and gone without it’s problems, with Guardiola forced to contend with a number of issues in the injury department, and specifically the extended absences of the squad’s key attacking figures.

Kevin De Bruyne missed the entirety of the first-half of the season through injury and subsequent surgery on a reoccurring hamstring problem, while Erling Haaland sustained a minor bone fracture in his foot to miss out on the winter schedule.

Speaking to the media after Manchester City’s 3-1 win over West Ham and subsequent Premier League title triumph, manager Pep Guardiola was keen to insist that he has not forgotten about the contributions of two players in particular during the season.

“Always we have problems but I don’t forget (the contribution of) Julian (Alvarez),” Guardiola said. “With Erling (Haaland’s) absence, Julian stepped up unbelievably. Phil (Foden) playing another position. He is a guy who wins games.”

The Manchester City boss continued, “I could say many names but I don’t want to forget anyone. Kevin (De Bruyne) is not the same Kevin of seven years ago. Yet still we find a way to win games and arrive in the decisive part of the season.”

The return of the Manchester City squad to full compliment for the business end of the season has now doubt seen the club reap the ultimate rewards through their Premier League triumph, however another challenge remains.

City travel to Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon to take on Manchester United in the FA Cup final, while Sunday will see the club celebrate their trophy triumphs of the 2023/24 season regardless of the outcome in London.