Kompany Is The Happiest Man On Earth – Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola was delighted with Manchester City’s 3-0 win at Crystal Palace but said that “maybe the best news” was the return of captain Vincent Kompany from injury.

Kompany completed 90 minutes for just the second time this season, and the first time since September, having missed the last two months with a knee injury. Kompany’s last two seasons for City have been ruined by injury but Guardiola was delighted with the work he had done with Barcelona-based orthopaedic surgeon Dr Ramon Cugat, helping him to return to fitness.

Kompany looked back to his best and was rarely troubled all afternoon at Selhurst Park. “That is good, maybe one of the best news from tonight,” Guardiola said afterwards. “He was a long time injured and every time he comes back he could not finish 90 minutes. It happened in the EFL Cup [26 October], it happened here [19 November].”

“We cannot forget he was two years injured, but the doctors, the physios and Ramon Cugat made an exceptional job,” Guardiola continued. “And of course his willingness to keep going, to try it again. He has come back and that is very important news for us because we need all the players for us to play in all three competitions this season.”

Guardiola was also delighted with the full debut of 19 year old Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus, who set up Raheem Sterling’s opening goal. “He helped us a lot, he is so aggressive, although he is not a tall guy,” Guardiola said. “It was first game, so it was not easy for him to communicate, he doesn’t speak English and he needs time. But he makes a lot of movements, for the first goal his assist was outstanding. He played good, he’s only 19 years old and has a lot of gap to improve to get even better. That is why we are here to help him, to improve the natural condition that he has.”

Overall Guardiola was pleased with a win that moves City into the fifth round of the competition. “We started good and created chances in the first 20 minutes,” he said. “I thought the goal would be good for us for the beginning of the second half but it was not like this. In the second half first 20 minutes we didn’t play, but the second goal was from a magnificent action from David [Silva] with the assist.”

Sam Allardyce was frustrated to lose new signing Jeffrey Schlupp to a hamstring injury in the second half, which will keep him out for a few weeks.

“We’ve lost that habit of winning,” Allardyce said. “Our game is OK in parts. We look quite good at times and then a mistake creeps in and the opposition punish us. Loic Remy’s was the main chance. If that goes in the back of the net it may have been different.”