Ilkay Gundogan scored twice for Manchester City on Saturday in their 3-0 win over Tottenham but also caused a scare for manager Pep Guardiola, limping off in the second half with a groin injury.
The 30-year-old continued his magnificent recent form as he netted twice against Spurs, taking his tally to 11 league goals in this campaign, all of which have come in his last 12 league outings.
The Germany international has never scored more than six league goals in a season before but is proving lethal this time around as City have emerged as runaway favourites to win the Premier League title.
His injury will have been a worry for Pep Guardiola, but the manager praised the midfielder for being smart enough to come off at 3-0 when he started to feel some tightness in his groin.
‘We will see tomorrow,’ Guardiola said of Gundogan’s fitness concern. ‘He told me it was tight. He is intelligent to say it but we will see tomorrow.’
Guardiola has unsurprisingly been thrilled with the recent form of Gundogan, who has been his team’s star player with Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne struggling with injuries and David Silva leaving the club over the summer.
Not only did Gundogan score the latter two goals but he also won the penalty which Rodri converted after drawing a foul from Pierre-Emile Hojberg.
‘I said many times he can play as a false nine and the people laughed at me,’ said Pep. ‘Today it was a clear action to win the penalty and then the two goals. He is so good in those terms.
‘I am delighted with his performance, he won the Player of the Month award for January and he still keeps playing this way. In February he could win it again.’
The victory over Spurs puts Man City in a commanding position at the top of the Premier League table, seven points clear of Leicester City in second with a game in hand on the Foxes.
Manchester United can leapfrog Leicester on Sunday when they face West Brom, but that will mean they have played one more match than their local rivals.
MORE : Jose Mourinho reveals Heung-Min Son was left with ‘wound’ after Tottenham loss to Man City
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