THE message from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is loud and clear.
As long as City keep winning, it will be either Sergio Aguero or Gabriel Jesus in the team, but not both.
Aguero and Jesus have both scored eight times in the Premier League in City’s freewheeling attack, but they have not started together since the 6-0 win at Watford back in September.
Guardiola has cited the absence of left-back Bernard Mendy as the principal reason for splitting up the Argentine and the young Brazilian.
Midfielder Fabian Delph has taken over from Mendy and the City manager has opted for three in midfield and Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling operating either side of the central striker.
But neither City’s record scorer nor Jesus can have too many complaints about this tactic, because they have won every single match.
So Guardiola is almost certain to keep it going for today’s league trip to Huddersfield.
But he knows there will come a time when the South Americans do start together.
“It’s a difficult situation, especially when you don’t win,” he says.
“I assure you that we’re going to lose games.
“Then the debate will happen again about whether the way we play is acceptable for the league or not.
“But I think Sergio and Gabriel are going to play together again as well, with or without Mendy.
“Until now I decide to play in that way and I decide on one or the other. But I want to see they have to compete with each other.
“They have to know they must play well. If not they have another guy with the same level and quality to play.
“But they will play many, many games without Mendy because they can play together.
“They have an amazing relationship. It’s not easy to find two strikers who are close, first of all because Sergio has more experience.
“Of course they want to play. I know they are really sad when they don’t play but it’s the same for the other guys that don’t play.
“They can play together but I decide to play more with two wingers and one striker.”
City have set an electric pace in the opening months of the season, as Guardiola has got to grips with the Premier League.
But he doesn’t think he has made huge changes.
“What we have done well is a consequence of what we did last season,” he explains.
“There are many good things, but we cannot expect to always play that way.
“But we always work on the principles of what we believe in.”
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