Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has hailed the relationship between Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus.
The South American duo were paired together in the 5-0 thumping of 10-man Liverpool at the weekend. In fact, the top-of-the-table clash was only the sixth time Guardiola fielded both from the start and they repaid him with goals.
One moment that illustrated their understanding came in the second half when bearing down on goal Aguero unselfishly squared the ball for Gabriel Jesus, who netted his second of the game, and subsequently pleased their Spanish boss.
“I don’t say to the striker pass the ball, I say score a goal please,” he told reporters.
“[But] it means a lot to me, what Sergio did. A lot.
“They are both good guys. Both are exceptional players, their relationship is top.
“Of course, both want to score goals and we need that, that egoism, wanting to score more than your team-mate, but they have the ability to choose the right decision like Sergio did.
“He was one-against-one with the goalkeeper but had the ability to pass the ball. When this happens the next time, Gabriel is going to do it for Sergio, and that’s good.”
Since the impressionable Jesus arrived in Manchester, from boyhood club Palmeiras this January, him and Aguero have been on the pitch together across 12 matches.
All of those, totalling 484 minutes, have come in the Premier League.
Together they’ve combined for three goals, all scored by Gabriel Jesus (thus assisted by Aguero), coming in two separate 5-0 wins over Watford and Liverpool as well as a draw against Middlesbrough.
Next up for City is the opening fixture of their 2017/18 Champions League group campaign, which is away to Dutch champions Feyenoord, before visiting Watford on the weekend.
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