Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says that he understands Sergio Agüero’s frustrations this season after the forward put in a match-winning performance at the weekend.
The Argentine striker has been in fine form this campaign having plundered 18 goals in 24 appearances. The Citizens’ record goalscorer, the 29-year-old hit another brace on Saturday evening as Manchester City beat Burnley 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
Despite his prolificacy during the current campaign, Agüero has not been City’s first-choice striker with the currently-injured Gabriel Jesus usually preferred in the striking berth, something that has reportedly unsettled the Argentine. Guardiola however has revealed that he can sympathise with the forward.
‘I want him to be happy’
Talking after the Citizens’ latest win, Guardiola said: “He [Agüero] is the kind of player that always wants to play every game. I can understand that sometimes he is sad if he does not play. I want him to be happy.”
“The quality he has inside the box, it is amazing. I want him to score a lot of goals. We need as a team his goals.”
Agüero was a key player in Saturday’s victory over Burnley as his quick-fire brace flipped the 1-0 deficit following Ashley Barnes’ opener on its head. It was a quiet first-half for the Citizens but Guardiola was full of praise for a display of quick-thinking and clinical finishing in the second period.
He said: “Aguero is the kind that doesn’t intervene much in the first-half but then in a matter of seconds, he can score two goals and overcome a resolve.”
“Both goals are amazing. The first one, they were really clever and quick. The second goal was a magnificent assist and dribbling and good finishing. Both goals were really good,” the 46-year-old continued.
Agüero the man for the big occasion?
The win meant City progressed to the Fourth Round of the FA Cup and Guardiola suggested that Agüero could be a key reason for his team lifting the trophy this season.
He said: “It is an honour for me to have Agüero under my command. He is a really important player and I we want to win something, he is an essential player for us.”