Man City manager Pep Guardiola admits he was not happy with youngster James McAtee’s earlier pre-season performances but praised the way he has responded to criticism.
McAtee started in City’s penalty shoot-out win over rivals Man Utd at Wembley in the Community Shield.
And Guardiola is backing the youngster to play a part this season, having spent the last campaign on loan at Sheffield United.
“The most important thing with these young players is they have the confidence of their team-mates and the squad and they adore them, they can rely on them, that’s the most important thing,” he said.
“Oscar (Bobb) made a fantastic game like all pre-season. McAtee, the first two games in the US was not good but the third, the fourth and especially today, he was the McAtee that we want him to be.
“The first games I didn’t like it much and I told him. I told him afterwards your impact in the game is not big, I want more.
“After he did well and I think today was really good. I think his period at Sheffield United helped him a lot.
“When you find players who can play in small spaces, attack the final third, the sense of goal, it’s difficult to find these players and McAtee has this quality.
“That’s why I said to Txiki (Begiristain) in the beginning of the season, I don’t want to loan him, I don’t want to sell him because I need him and the specific quality in small spaces and he has this ability.”
FEATURED IMAGE: HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images VIA ONE FOOTBALL
