Having come on as a second half substitute at St James’ Park, Bobb struck a dramatic 90th minute winner to secure a stunning 3-2 comeback triumph at Newcastle on Saturday evening.
The result saw the reigning Premier League champions close the gap on leaders Liverpool to just two points and was just the latest example of the attacking midfielder’s impressive impact this term following his elevation to the City first team squad.
Reflecting on his progress so far, Guardiola expressed his satisfaction and delight at Bobb’s rapid progress.
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“Txiki [director of football Txiki Begiristain] at the end of last season said to me that in the Under 23s [last season] Oscar Bobb was the best player by far and I said: ‘OK [he’ll] go to Japan [on our summer tour] to start to train with us’,” the City boss revealed.
“And immediately Oscar got something that is the most important thing. That is to rely on his mates.
“It’s more important than relying on the manager. When the mates can say: ‘OK - this player can play with us’, that is the best success.
“And it was immediately. He can play in five positions, striker, right wing, left, in the pockets... [he is] so dynamic and the work ethic is unbelievable.
“Here [at Newcastle] in the Carabao Cup in the first half of that game he was outstanding the way he played, and he doesn’t feel much the pressure.
“I don’t know what happens with players in the Academy, look at Cole Palmer - he is doing really well at Chelsea and I’m so happy for him and all the players [like] Rico [Lewis] and Phil [Foden].
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“And it’s important for us and for the Club to bring players [through] from the Academy and help us you know.
“When Jack [Grealish] has had problems this season and John Stones and now Manu [Akanji], Kevin [De Bruyne] and Erling [Haaland] out, an important part of the season is November and December with a lot of games and important players were not there and Oscar helped us.
“That is great, it’s really, really great.
“We have another player for many years for us if he decides to stay as for now he is happy with his minutes like Cole Palmer was happy with his minutes.
“But after two or three years they want more and it’s natural, its completely understandable and maybe I don’t give them the minutes and they decide to go.
“If he decides to stay, we have a player for many, many years.”
Bobb was summoned on at St James’ Park with eight minutes to go and City seeking a late, late winner with a thrilling spectacle delicately poised at 2-2.
And, speaking in his post-match press conference, the boss revealed why he had opted to turn to the 20-year-old rather than seeking to utilise the talents of Jack Grealish or Matheus Nunes who were also on the bench.
“I decided that Jack had been sick for five or six days. Yesterday he made an incredible effort to come but could not finish the training session,” Pep pointed out.
“And we needed a player in the small spaces.
“Matheus is incredible in bigger spaces and Oscar, Kevin, Phil and Jeremy are good in the smaller spaces and the game was more about the smaller spaces.
“But look at the game Matheus had played against Huddersfield [in the FA Cup]. That was really, really good.”
