'Didn't do his job' - Pep Guardiola criticises Josko Gvardiol after Man City brace

Pep Guardiola was delighted with his 'new winger' Josko Gvardiol at Fulham, but warned the defender that it is not his job to score goals.

Gvardiol scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season - all coming in the last seven games - to help Manchester City to a 4-0 win at Fulham, lifting them above Arsenal for 24 hours at least and to within two wins of the Premier League title. The young left-back wanted the chance to score a hat-trick, but Kyle Walker intervened and Julian Alvarez converted City's injury-time penalty.

Guardiola admitted that he didn't expect Gvardiol to help City with the kind of goals that he has contributed - after long range finishes vs Real Madrid and Luton, he powered in a header vs Nottingham Forest before dancing into the area at Fulham to finish like a seasoned striker.

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Speaking after the game, Guardiola praised Gvardiol for scoring at the right times, and joked that he was playing more like a winger in recent matches.

"It was a good performance except first five to ten minutes. We adjusted our right side in the second half. After the first long possession with the ball, after our winger Josko scores a fantastic goal, we played really well in many aspects.

"[I expected Gvardiol to score] some headers and set pieces," he added, but not the forwards' finishes he has been scoring in his last seven games.

However, Guardiola criticised Gvardiol for his defending in the second half, reminding him that goalscoring is not his primary job.

"In the second half he didn't play good, lost a lot," Guardiola warned. "Defending, many important things. Play so simple, that's the most difficult thing. After if he scores goals, (it's) welcome, but it's not his job. His job is to be a defender, play safe. In the second half he played a lot of balls."

Speaking to Match of the Day, Guardiola added: "[The goals are] absolutely unexpected. He is unbelievable with both feet. Normally the left is difficult to find, he is more comfortable with his right. Big goal at Santiago Bernabeu, goal today with the right foot.

"Second half he was not at his best, lost a lot of balls, and as a defender you have to be tight. For him to add the goals he is it is more than welcome, but he has to be more tight. But he is 21 years old he will improve."