Tijjani Reijnders stole the show at Manchester City on Saturday and afterwards came up with a striking revelation about Pep Guardiola. The Dutch international, who scored against Nottingham Forest, says he owes a lot to his manager.
The first half was soporific. Manchester City barely created any chances and Forest kept the spaces small. “We know that it is always difficult here,” says Reijnders TNT Sports. “I had heard it before, but now I have experienced it myself.”
Guardiola intervened at half-time. The Spaniard changed the formation and gave Reijnders a new assignment. “I had to play higher up the pitch,” he reveals. “As a result, they had to choose who to pick up. My goal was a perfect example of this.”
Shortly after half-time it was a hit: Rayan Cherki found Reijnders with a clever through ball and the Dutchman calmly slotted home. It was already his fourth goal of the season. Nottingham came alongside, but again Cherki decided the game just before the end.
Reijnders is grateful to assister Cherki. “He knows how to give such balls and you have to be ready. He finds the spaces, so I just had to finish.” However, Reijnders’ most important thank you goes to Guardiola. Reijnders posted a photo with his trainer on social media with the joke: “Just tell me before the game next time.”
Reijnders talks about working with Guardiola: “He is intense, really intense. But he makes us better players. I now look at the game very differently and I only want to learn more from him.”
The win keeps Manchester City in the title race. Arsenal won 2-1 against Brighton & Hove Albion later in the day, making the Gunners two points ahead again. “It is an important victory,” says Reijnders. “We are still fully in the race, and these kinds of games ultimately make the difference.”
