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Manchester United vs Manchester City: Pep Guardiola defends 'amazing' Claudio Bravo after derby debut

Bravo was brought in by City boss Guardiola from Barcelona last month as a replacement for Hart

Phil Medlicott
Old Trafford
Sunday 11 September 2016 10:05 BST
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(Getty)

Pep Guardiola defended Claudio Bravo after the goalkeeper's troubled debut for Manchester City in the 2-1 derby victory at Manchester United.

Bravo was brought in by City boss Guardiola from Barcelona last month as a replacement for Joe Hart, with the cited reason being the Chile international's superior ability with his feet.

But Bravo appeared to struggle on that front and in general at Old Trafford, enduring several shaky moments, one of which saw him flap at a free-kick, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic striking home the loose ball.

He later lunged at Wayne Rooney after turning into danger in his own box - an incident that prompted no action from referee Mark Clattenburg, but which United boss Jose Mourinho after the game argued merited a penalty and Bravo being sent off.

In his own post-match analysis, Guardiola was keen to stress the moment that led to Ibrahimovic's goal should not be viewed as a mistake by Bravo, praised his new signing for the "personality" he had shown and even labelled his efforts "amazing".

Guardiola said: "Claudio Bravo today showed us the most important thing in football.

"It is not a mistake, because he attacked the ball and I love when goalkeepers take decisions to attack the ball. And after, there was an outstanding goal from Ibrahimovic. That made the difference.

"Sometimes when things like that happen, maybe the player can think 'it's my fault, it's my fault'. Instead, Claudio said 'it's football, it's happened, we were unlucky' - because the situation was unlucky - and then in the second half he played again, and again, and again with the ball.

"I know it is a risk, because if you lose the ball it is a goal against us, but when we win with that, we win in many things.

"His personality showed me a lot today. He was amazing with his feet and saves, and going to attack the ball. I am happy for him.

"It not easy, your first game after two training sessions, to come her to Old Trafford and play with that personality. That means a lot."

Mourinho also claimed Clattenburg had been wrong not to award United a spot-kick for a handball by City defender Nicolas Otamendi.

Asked about both that and the Bravo-Rooney incident, Guardiola said he did not see either, but did suggest City full-back Aleksandar Kolarov had been the victim of some unpunished foul play.

He added: "The spectators maybe said penalty, but I didn't see it. What I did see is Kolarov is missing one tooth - that is sure."

PA.

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