Pep Guardiola is not a man who hands out compliments easily. In an age where soundbites are craved more than ever, the Manchester City head coach bucks the trend. You have to earn the praise over a course of time. Only after 14 goals in 15 appearances is Sergio Agüero finally feeling the warmth publicly from the two-time Champions League-winning coach. De Bruyne opened the scoring against Bournemouth on a day when his performance drew comparison with the world’s best players Carl Recine/ReutersPlayers and fans see through this charade when the praise flows so easily.

Source: The Times November 08, 2016 17:00 UTC