Pep Guardiola explains Man City plan for Micah Hamilton after Champions League debut

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Micah Hamilton will remain with the Manchester City academy for now despite notching a superb goal for the senior side on Wednesday night.

Hamilton earned his first City start in midweek in the Champions League and scored his first senior goal as he took on two players and fired a shot over the Red Star goalkeeper into the roof of the net.

He later won a penalty and earned plenty of plaudits for a fearless performance. His rise is all the more remarkable given he has spent much of the last two seasons out injured, telling reporters that 12 months ago he was receiving injections in his ankle before coming back this season to captain the under-21s and break into the first team. ALSO READ: Every word from Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland injury and Man City team news vs Crystal Palace ALSO READ: Man City boss Pep Guardiola makes Erling Haaland injury admission ahead of Club World Cup The Crumpsall-born youngster has been the subject of calls to get more senior appearances in light of his debut, but Guardiola insists Hamilton's place is with the academy for now. "Oscar [Bobb] is a first-team player, Micah for the second team.

We need him but his place is there," Guardiola said on Friday. "But he's really good and his impact in the game." With Hamilton and Mahamadou Susoho becoming the latest academy graduates to make their debuts for City - also becoming the 31st and 32nd youngsters to make their debut under Guardiola - the manager explained just how important the academy is to clubs like the Blues. "All the big clubs, the academy is an important part of many things," he explained. "We just see what happened in the last five or six years with academy players.