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On Tuesday, Manchester City welcomed Leeds United for their Premier League matchday 17 clash at the Etihad Stadium. The English champions ran circles around the visitors and cruised to a massive 7-0 win, registering their joint-second biggest win in the Premier League.
Phil Foden’s opener against Leeds United also made Pep Guardiola a member of the uber-exclusive, Premier League 500-goal club. With the strike coming in Guardiola’s 207th Premier League match, the Spaniard has become the quickest manager to reach 500 in the league’s history.
Since taking charge of Manchester City in 2016, Pep Guardiola has had the good fortune of working with some world-class players. These players have pitched in plenty of goals and assists, helping City become an unstoppable force in the Premier League.
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Here are the top-five Manchester City stars who have scored for fun under Pep Guardiola in the Premier League:
#5 Ilkay Gundogan - 31 goals
Ilkay Gundogan moved to Manchester City in 2016, following a successful spell with Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund. He was Pep Guardiola’s first Manchester City signing and the German remains an invaluable part of the team.
Gundogan plays in the middle of the park and is responsible for maintaining the tempo for Manchester City. His distribution is impressive and he possesses sharp game-reading skills.
Although not necessarily known for his goals and assists, Gundogan is not shy of hitting the back of the net when an opportunity presents itself.
Since 2016, Gundogan has featured in 142 Premier League games for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, registering 31 goals and 11 assists.
#4 Kevin De Bruyne - 39 goals
Manchester City maestro Kevin De Bruyne is arguably the most technically-gifted midfielder in world football right now. When fully fit, the Belgian attacking-midfielder can take apart any defense with his intricate passing and explosive right foot.
Pep Guardiola has always heaped praise on De Bruyne, rarely keeping him out of action when fit. The former Chelsea man has returned the favor by producing impressive performances in key matches, helping Manchester City to three Premier League titles.
Under Pep Guardiola, the Belgium international has taken part in 166 Premier League fixtures, netting 39 goals and registering 70 assists.
If he manages to keep himself fit for the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign, Manchester City will have the upper hand in the title race.
#3 Gabriel Jesus - 52 goals
Pep Guardiola brought Gabriel Jesus to Manchester City just six months after taking charge, in January 2017. The Spaniard wanted a capable understudy to City’s frontman Sergio Aguero, and Jesus seemed like the perfect fit at the time.
Thanks to Aguero’s excellent form and Guardiola’s love for a false-nine system, Jesus has not been able to establish himself as an out-and-out starter. However, the 24-year-old is not throwing in the towel just yet.
Jesus has been working to be more involved in the game, making sure goalscoring is not the only weapon in his arsenal. The Brazilian centre-forward has been linking up with his teammates more often than not lately and has emerged as a considerably more mature player.
Since moving to the blue side of Manchester, Gabriel Jesus has scored 52 goals and provided 30 assists in the Premier League. If he continues his good work, we could see plenty more from him in the coming years.
#2 Raheem Sterling - 76 goals
Manchester City lured Raheem Sterling away from Liverpool in July 2015. The Englishman’s move to a direct rival did not sit well with Reds fans and the player was subjected to incessant boos.
A year later, Pep Guardiola took charge of Manchester City and turned Sterling’s fortunes around.
Guardiola quickly identified the player’s assets and started working on his weaknesses. The Spaniard used his pace and movement exceptionally well, seeing him ascend as a Premier League hero for the Citizens.
Over the last four years, we have seen Sterling establish himself as one of the most confident players in the Premier League. His tally of 72 goals under Guardiola speaks volumes about the player he’s become, and Manchester City are blessed to have him at their disposal.
#1 Sergio Aguero - 82 goals
Manchester City’s record goalscorer Sergio Aguero scored 82 Premier League goals under Pep Guardiola between 2016 and 2021, deservedly clinching the top-spot on our list.
The Argentine forward was the hero of Manchester City’s famous Premier League triumph in 2011-12 and was just as decisive under Guardiola as well.
Aguero, a traditional centre-forward with a taste for match-winning goals, ruled the Etihad Stadium for a decade. He was strong, quick, and scarily composed in front of goal, even before Guardiola took over.
The Spanish manager only smoothened out some of the rough edges and made Aguero an even more daunting forward. The former Atletico Madrid man won three Premier League titles under Guardiola, registering 102 goal involvements over the five seasons.
Aguero, who joined Barcelona on a free transfer this summer, is set to reture following a heart problem.
