The City youngsters have put together an unbeaten run stretching back nine games in PL2, the latest being last weekend’s goalless draw with Liverpool which was staged at the Etihad.
That terrific run has propelled City – who are defending champions – eight points clear at the top of the table from second-placed West Ham, though the Hammers do have two games in hand.
And reflecting on the players’ form and progress, Barry-Murphy was at pains to praise both their performances and attitude over the course of the season to date.
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“The progress the lads have made has been amazing,” the head coach asserted.
“I think this challenge of having to play the way we play and behave the way we do, putting the inevitable focus of where we are in the table or what we can achieve, I think it is great practice for the players.
“To put them together is a brilliant challenge from my point of view.
“To see how we can play and show the way we do things in spite of any perceived pressure or outside factors that can influence that.
“I think it is very beneficial from my point of view to see how we cope in these situations.”
The EDS’s success so far this term has also seen several players afforded first team debuts by City manager Pep Guardiola as well as gain priceless experience training alongside the first team.
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The Squad have also coped with injuries at various junctures to several key players, particularly during the late autumn and early winter period.
But, though full of praise for the impressive results garnered by his young charges, for the boss the biggest thrill has been the way City have achieved them in the exciting and expressive manner of our performances.
“I think the players put themselves under pressure because they want to be successful,” Barry-Murphy added.
“And for me the overriding thing is that we have to be successful in the way we do things at the club and never go away from that.
“So put those two together is priceless and you couldn’t get a better test of really how you want to play and how you want to perform to such an important outcome from the players point of view.
“I think we have been playing really well. It has been a pleasure to be involved with the players in terms of the progress and the style they play with.
“Against Liverpool, I just said it was almost like a celebration to play with real style here, irrespective of where we are in the table or where the opponents are in the table and be true to the way we do things and show our style at all times irrespective of the score and the lads did that.”
