Assistant boss Juanma Lillo admitted he did not enjoy standing in for Pep Guardiola after Manchester City’s hard-fought 2-1 win at Sheffield United.
Guardiola watched his aspect lengthen their 100 per cent begin to go prime of the Premier League from Barcelona, the place he’s recovering from again surgical procedure.
City turned in a dominant show at a sold-out Bramall Lane, however went near letting two factors slip when Blades substitute Jayden Bogle fired an Eighty fifth-minute equaliser.
Bogle cancelled out Erling Haaland’s second-half header – the Norway striker had missed a penalty earlier than the break – solely for Rodri to rescue City by smashing residence an 88th-minute winner.
When requested if he loved taking cost in Guardiola’s absence, Lillo stated: “Under no circumstances. I a lot want being with Pep. Particularly when it’s a query of well being, I don’t enjoy this in any respect. We miss his presence now greater than ever.
“I haven’t spoken to him after the match. In the course of the match I spoke to him at some moments, however usually he was talking to the opposite members of the technical employees. However he’s been completely current at the moment.”
City dominated possession all through and had been hardly ever troubled by the Blades, who produced a resolute and disciplined defensive show.
Haaland steered his Thirty seventh-minute penalty on to a put up after Blades skipper John Egan had dealt with, however made amends by heading his aspect in entrance in the 63rd minute.
“Typically I believed we performed very well at the moment,” stated Lillo, who confirmed Phil Foden had began on the bench as a consequence of an upset abdomen. “It was quite a bit nearer to what we needed.
“From the second half I believed we actually discovered our rhythm and we had been capable of win the ball again quite a bit faster.
“We had been capable of finding the brand new areas created from profitable the ball again faster and we may have scored extra earlier than the primary purpose went in.”
Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom feels his aspect, again in the highest flight after a two-year absence, are additionally bettering regardless of shedding their first three matches.
Heckingbottom stated: “I’m happy with the efficiency. You want an ideal efficiency to beat them as a result of that wasn’t a below-par City.
“We bought punished for two issues we should always do higher. The sickener for me is the character of how Rodri has lashed it in.
“It simply comes after Phil (Foden) has mis-controlled the ball and simply drops into his path.
“It’s a kick in the enamel in spite of everything the great play that they had had they usually approach we had handled it. We’ve misplaced some extent, however we’ll concentrate on the efficiency I feel.
“Recreation on recreation we’ve bought higher and we definitely imagine we’re going to have sufficient.”
