Key quotes from Pep Guardiola’s post-Fulham press conference

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 05: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the Emirates FA Cup fourth round match between Manchester City and Fulham at Etihad Stadium on February 05, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Tom Flathers/Manchester City FC via Getty Images)
Manchester City booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup, after Riyad Mahrez’s brace helped the premier league leaders ahead of Fulham, the top-flight championship side.
Pep Guardiola was in high spirits after the victory, which put the Citizens in the fifth round for a seventh consecutive year.
Here are the main quotes from Pep’s post-match press conference.
On a difficult afternoon
“I’ll tell you something: I know exactly which team we faced today and which team we beat. When a team is at the top of the Championship, it’s because they are good. Top side. Marco ( Silva) has created an incredible team top side.
“We talked a lot with the players about the difficulty. You have to fight, run, defend well. It’s a team that monopolizes the ball. The pressing in the first half was not good, it’s My fault. We were expecting a move it didn’t work out well.
“The second half was much better and of course the quality of our players made the difference.”
“Liam grew a lot last season, especially with Enzo Maresca. He helped him develop a lot. He’s a type of striker that we don’t have. He’s a killer, a typical British striker, an amazing finisher.
“As a player, he has a special quality. He understands how to attract opponents and then pass the ball to free men. Always near the box, you can feel he has the feeling of scoring a goal. Last year , we struggled with penalties and now he is a guarantee.
“The only problem we’ve had this season is that he’s been injured. Injury after injury because of ankle problems. He’s a special quality, a different type of striker. He has that quality and I’m happy for him.”
On Riyad Mahrez’s penalties
“He scores every penalty, especially under pressure. A 4-0 penalty is easy, but last season at Dortmund he scored when we were down 1-0. This season, 1-0 against Arsenal, he has scored. He has the personality to do it.”