Pep Guardiola was delighted with the attitude shown by his side to come back from a goal down to beat Burnley 4-1 and secure a spot in the FA Cup fourth round.
A quick-fire double by Sergio Agüero and goals for Leroy Sané and substitute Bernardo Silva saw off the Clarets to put City in the hat for the next round.
“I’m so happy,” the manager said. “We played against Burnley in a tough draw. What they have done in the Premier League so far is amazing. I think over 90 minutes it [the performance] was quite good.
“Even in the first half, I didn’t have the feeling we weren’t playing good just lacking the opportunity to score a goal.
“In the second half, we had more focus. We could not concede corners or free kicks. They are a top team.”
Agüero was on target twice in the space of two minutes, and Guardiola was effusive in his praise for the Argentina international.
“I have to say it’s an honour for me to have him under my command,” he said. “He’s the type of player who always wants to play. Sometimes he is sad if he isn’t playing. I want him to be happy. The quality he has is amazing.
“We have other players who can score, but he is the type of player who in a matter of seconds, can score two goals. If we want to win something, he is an essential player for us.”
The Etihad crowd gave a minute’s applause in support of David Silva, who made a statement last week about the birth of his premature son, Mateo, and Guardiola was full of support for City’s playmaker, who will return to Spain this week.
“David is a legend for the club and for what he has done. He adapts with the physicality with his technical qualities. He made the statement. Everybody knows what he does. It is not easy to go back and forth to Spain and play the way we did.
“Now he is going back to Spain. Big congratulations for his effort to play and for the players who played in the positions they don’t normally play. The guys who don’t play often were amazing.”
