Pep Guardiola provides Maximo Perrone verdict and update on Argentine’s Manchester City future

Manchester City manager heaped praise on Maximo Perrone’s performance in his side’s 4-1 win against Bournemouth at the weekend.

The Premier League champions returned to winning ways with a dominant display in the south-west as strikes from Julian Alvarez, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and an own goal from Chris Mepham sealed the points for the visitors.

Perrone, who joined City from Velez Sarsfield in January, replaced Erling Haaland after 72 minutes at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.

The 20-year-old put in a tidy cameo, stepping on the ball and getting into decent positions across the midfield – even drawing comparisons with Manchester City legend David Silva on social media after the win.

City turn their attention to the FA Cup as they play away to Bristol City in the fifth round ahead of visit from Newcastle United on Saturday.

Guardiola could look to shuffle his pack and rotate across the pitch against the Robins, who were knocked out of the Carabao Cup semi-final by Pep Guardiola’s men in City’s historic 2017/18 title-winning campaign.

After impressing in his cameo against Bournemouth, Perrone could again feature on Tuesday evening should Guardiola choose to rest the likes of Bernardo Silva or Ilkay Gundogan ahead of the title run-in.

Previewing the cup tie in a press conference on Monday, Guardiola said: “He (Perrone) is a young player. He’s a guy who is quicker here (in the head), than the legs. He moves really well in the pockets, he has a lot of vision there.

“Since the first, second training session after he arrived – I’d had some clips, info but honestly I didn’t know him, the players didn’t know him – we thought, ‘Wow, he moves well’.”

◾️ #ManCity's current performance levels
◾️ The challenge presented by @BristolCity
◾️ An opportunity for @Kalvinphillips this week?

Every word from Pep Guardiola's #FACup fifth round press conference:https://t.co/hLgAgXBy3Z

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Kevin De Bruyne remains a doubt to feature against Bristol City as the Belgium international recovers from illness, though Guardiola mentioned the 32-year-old is ‘much better’ after starting on the bench against Bournemouth.

It is unlikely that Guardiola would start Perrone in a crucial cup tie but the talented midfielder could come and make an impact and keep impressing.

“He (Perrone) arrived from our scout, Joan Patsy – our guy in South America. Always he advised me on Gabriel (Jesus), advised me on Julian (Alvarez), now for Maximo,” the Manchester City manager added.

“The quality, the individual quality, is really there. I think he (Perrone) will grow up being with us, for the rhythm, for the physicality. But sometimes what we’re looking for in the players who play in small spaces, he’s really, really good.”

Guardiola’s comments are encouraging for a midfielder still learning his trade after moving to England midway through the season – and the opportunity to train with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan would only aid his adjustment to life at the Etihad Stadium.

Perrone is expected to remain in and around the first team and the coming months could define the Argentine’s role in City’s midfield, with the Blues expected to introduce at least one major addition to their options in the middle of the park at the end of the season.

Guardiola continued, “What is going to happen in the future, I don’t know. I cannot assure you with what is going to happen.

“Yeah (no assurances for next season). I don’t know what’s going to happen. I learned from my years, to not anticipate much with what’s going to happen, in terms of how many players are going to stay, how many players are going to leave, how active we will be in the transfer market.

“BUT, what I said, we are really pleased, really pleased with the quality that he has. Of course, with the game that he played, with 0-4, the game is completely different, almost over. But the quality that he has is there. This is the most important thing.”