The 3-0 victory at Wembley saw the likes of Sergio Gomez, Stefan Ortega Moreno, Kalvin Phillips, Aymeric Laporte, Kyle Walker, Rico Lewis and Cole Palmer get valuable game time as well as Phil Foden who returned to the squad following a one month absence after he had his appendix out.
Taylor believes the ‘pretty faultless’ performance of these players, who haven’t seen as much action as others this season, will serve us well for the run-in which has us fighting on three fronts.
He said: “It was good to see Phil [Foden] back, Rico [Lewis] getting some game time was good, I thought he did well and I was really impressed with Cole [Palmer]. I thought he did really well in the game.
“Stefan [Ortega Moreno] comes in and doesn’t have much rhythm and game time but he comes in and puts in a pretty solid performance.
“He didn’t have loads and loads to do but I thought he was really assured when the ball went back to him and his build-up play was of a high level.
“That’s hard to do when you’re out of the team and you’re not in so much to then come in and to play and perform at that level. Gomez as well. They were pretty faultless. I think fair play.
“That just goes to show the good attitude and good mentality from the players who are not necessarily playing all of the time to train at high levels, be ready and to come into the team and do your bit.
“It’s great as a coach to have that if players are knocking on the door.
“At the end of the day, it’s the manager who makes the right choice, the wrong choice, makes his selection based on many things and expects the mentality to be right whether you start, don’t start, get on, don’t get on.
“There are so many games now and they are coming thick and fast between now and the end of the season and that’s a really good position to be in and you need real positivity from the players and that’s what Pep is getting from this group.”
