Pep Guardiola pleased for ‘important’ Mateo Kovacic after brace against Fulham

Pep Guardiola was pleased to see Mateo Kovacic take a leaf out of Rodri’s book after his double spearheaded Manchester City’s comeback victory over Fulham.

The Croatia international, filling in for the injured Rodri in midfield, struck either side of half-time as the champions came from behind to win Saturday’s Premier League encounter at the Etihad Stadium 3-2.

City will be without the influential Rodri for the rest of the season but, in Kovacic, they would appear to have a ready-made replacement.

Manager Guardiola said: “I’m very happy he scored two goals. He’s not a guy who scores goals.

“Maybe he saw Rodri, the goals he’s scored in that position.

“When they defend with five at the back there is one man free in the 18-yard box and that is Kovacic.

“The two goals is because they cannot defend that position. The first goal was brilliant and the second one as well.

“Kova was really important but now the opponents know they cannot leave him alone, otherwise he can score a goal.”

Kovacic turned a tough game in City’s favour after Andreas Pereira had given Fulham an early lead.

The 30-year-old told the BBC: “It means a lot because my wife is pregnant, so it was great to get some goals for the little one.

“It’s nice to score but the most important thing is the team and that we won. It is never easy to play in the Premier League and today we showed great character. It was a good game for us.”

City lived dangerously as Fulham’a Adama Traore missed a host of chances but Jeremy Doku made victory secure with a stunning strike before a late Rodrigo Muniz consolation.

Guardiola said: “My feeling is the game was well played but what chances they had, especially with Adama – he is unstoppable that guy, it’s impossible to control him – we were a little bit uh-uh.

“It was a tough game but we knew it. They played really good. Marco (Silva) has been there many years and they are getting better.”

Silva, the Fulham manager, felt his side were unfortunate not to take something from the game.

He said: “Of course we have to be really unhappy with the result. The players executed the plan really well, the performance was an excellent one, but looking at the chances we created and comparing with City, we deserved more from the game. But that is football.

“We have to be really proud, we scored two goals here and we had four clear chances to score (more), one on one with Ederson.

That is not easy to achieve and we did it. It gives us the feeling we are in the right direction and growing.”