The Brazilian has started City’s last games and claimed assists in our 2-0 wins over Everton and Villarreal since the international break.
He scored his first goal of the season in our Carabao Cup win over Huddersfield but has challenged him to make an even greater impact in front of goal.
“Savio is a top player who can play both sides and he feels comfortable on both sides,” Guardiola said ahead of our Premier League trip to Aston Villa on Sunday at 14:00 (UK).
ASTON VILLA V CITY | MATCH PREVIEW
“I said last season, being [in your] first Premier League season, it’s not easy to play a lot of minutes. Just the moment to make the steps to be a decisive player and add goals and assists, especially goals he will be a top-class player. Top class. He needs to make that step.
“For example, against Everton in the first minute he had two chances, one-on-one with the keeper. The moment he makes the step and make goals and make goals and he has the quality to do it, we’ve seen it in the training sessions. He will be calm.
“We are so pleased and he is so young we can’t forget that. Such a young player. I’m really pleased for him.
“The last two games he was aggressive [with] courage to go one against one. To make an assist for the second goal again for Erling [Haaland], second goal for Bernardo [Silva], against Villarreal – the assist to Rico to make the cross – he’s involved in many things.
“Just to make the encouraging to score, he makes goals and goals he had the chance to do it against Villarreal has another one, two in the second half he became a really good player. And Brazil, [Carlo] Ancelotti will have an incredible player for him.”
Watch the second part of Pep’s press conference in the video above...
