Pep Guardiola hints at team selection mistake in Liverpool draw amid high praise for substitute

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Published on 2024-03-10 19:56:01

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has commended the impact of substitute Mateo Kovacic after the 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield. Kovacic, who joined Manchester City from Chelsea in a £25 million transfer last summer, made his 32nd appearance for the club during the match.

The 29-year-old replaced Kevin De Bruyne at Anfield as Manchester City slipped to third in the Premier League table, trailing Arsenal and Liverpool by one point with 10 games left in the season.

John Stones scored a clever goal in the 23rd minute, but Liverpool equalized from a penalty early in the second half due to errors from Ederson and Nathan Ake.

Despite struggling against a lively Liverpool side and their energized crowd, Manchester City absorbed the pressure in the second half and nearly secured a shock victory with Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku hitting the woodwork.

Guardiola made a surprise substitution, bringing on Kovacic in the 69th minute to weather the Liverpool storm. Kovacic’s introduction changed the game, with the Croatian international earning praise for his impact off the bench.

Guardiola acknowledged Kovacic’s role in helping Manchester City secure a vital point after a challenging match.

“We gave away the penalty and then after that for 15-20 minutes in this stadium, it was like a tsunami. But then Mateo (Kovacic) came on and we started to play and keep the ball, which we didn’t before.”

Looking ahead, Manchester City will face Newcastle United in the Emirates FA Cup quarter-finals before hosting Arsenal in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium after the international break.

Guardiola’s side will seek to avenge their previous loss to Arsenal and make amends for their Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Newcastle earlier in the season. The manager will be hoping for a strong performance from Kovacic and the rest of the team in these upcoming important fixtures.

Read Original article on City Xtra