The Algerian winger will line up against his former club Leicester City on Saturday and goes into the game having scored five goals and laid on 10 assists so far in 2019/20.
It’s an impressive return as we approach the mid-point of the campaign, with the 28-year-old needing only to directly contribute to ten more goals to improve on last season’s tally of 24.
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And his form has not gone unnoticed.
Guardiola acknowledged Mahrez’ game-changing quality as he prepares to face the club with which he won his first Premier League title and suggested City’s No.27 has gone up a level from his debut campaign.
“He started incredibly well after the African Cup of Nations,” he said at his pre-match press conference.
“And sometimes he didn’t play as I decided to go with Bernardo but all the time he played, he played in a different level, honestly.
“He’s always a guy who creates something in the box. He’s an incredible talent.
“He has played more minutes than last year and understands much better.
“I’m satisfied with his performance and with the absence of Leroy [Sane] there is more space to use the wingers and upfront.
“When Leroy comes back, we will see what happens.”
Guardiola also revealed how his backroom staff will look after it was confirmed Assistant Manager, Mikel Arteta, had left the Club in order to become Head Coach at Arsenal.
The boss says Rodolfo Borrell, who has been part of the first team coaching set-up throughout Pep’s tenure, will step into the No.2 role, with no further decisions to be made until next summer.
“From now on he’ll [Borrell] stay with me,” Guardiola added. “Yes [he’ll be my assistant].
“I won’t think about names until the summer. We will continue this way until the summer, with the people that we started with three and a half years ago.
“In the summer we will see what we can improve.”
