City boss Guardiola picks out five Man Utd players for praise

Pep Guardiola praised five Manchester United players after Manchester City lost 1-0 in their EFL Cup semi-final second leg to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men.

Nemanja Matic scored the only goal of the second leg at the Etihad Stadium but was later sent off as City, the better team throughout the tie, prevailed overall.

That holders City did not add to the 3-1 lead they established in the first leg at Old Trafford was remarkable as they spurned numerous gilt-edged chances.

But David De Gea produced several outstanding saves to keep United in the tie and Matic gave them hope with a sweet strike 10 minutes before the break.

It was ultimately not enough but Solskjaer’s side did restore some pride after their humbling in the first leg and Guardiola was full of praise for five Man Utd individuals.

“I like a lot the way they played,” said Guardiola after the match.

“At Old Trafford we played really well, maybe I didn’t expect us to play the way we played, but I said when we lost here I said they don’t need much.

“The quality of the players up front is incredible. I had the feeling, I said before when we lost at home against them, they are trying to do what the manager Ole wants, and I think it works.

“Maybe they are not consistent in all the games, they struggle at home a little bit with the teams who defend deep.

“But, I like the way they play, the qualities they have. [Victor] Lindelof I saw him in Benfica, Luke Shaw is an incredible type of player, [Harry] Maguire, one of the best central defenders in the world.

“The people up front they are so fast. [Nemanja] Matic and Fred, they are incredible players, Matic is an outstanding player. In time, they will do it and be back to what United was for many years.”