Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez can use Sergio Aguero's advice to help give Pep Guardiola a selection headache upon his return to Manchester, despite competition from Erling Haaland.
After Alvarez was handed a starting role by Lionel Scaloni for Argentina's final Group C match against Poland on Wednesday night, the 22-year-old took the opportunity with both hands. The City star repaid his manager's faith with a stunning strike, as he superbly controlled the ball, shifted his weight and sent a searing right-footed strike past a helpless Wojciech Szczesny into the far corner.
Pep Guardiola would have no doubt been delighted for his new signing, with the Catalan manager hoping he can continue his run of form upon his return to the Etihad later this month. The arrival of Haaland has meant that competition for a starting role at the Etihad Stadium has been severe, with the Norwegian scoring at an unprecedented rate both in the Premier League and Champions League.
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Aguero, has been mightily impressed with his compatriot, as he not only heaped praise on the young striker, but also gave him the perfect advice to show Guardiola why he deserves to be in his starting XI after the World Cup's conclusion later this month.
Aguero said (via the BBC): “Arriving from Argentina and kickstarting your career in the Premier League - especially in a team filled with amazing players like City - is easier said than done.
“However, he's had a superb adaptation. He has been able to find the net, yes, but most importantly, he's been able to suit Pep's vision perfectly – applying constant pressure, sprinting non-stop, finding gaps and partnering up.
“It's been his first few months, but he's proven he's a talented and reliable player, up to the quality that a major club like City demand.”
Guardiola certainly does have a unique vision, and not every player can perform to the level that the Catalan demands. Aguero knows this better than most players, and for the scorer of that 93:20 goal to recognise Alvarez's talent is a huge boost in confidence for the Argentine.
Playing under the former Barcelona manager requires more than just ability and technique, but also a level of understanding for the game. Emulating Aguero may be a nigh-on impossible task, yet Alvarez has shown that he is well-versed about the challenge that lies ahead of him.
Speaking to club media earlier this season, he said: “We all know how important Kun was for Manchester City and what he means for the world too, as a club player and as a player for the Argentinian national team as well,” said Alvarez.
“I had the opportunity to speak with him and he told me many things about the city, about the teammates, about Manchester City in general.”
Haaland may well be the person stealing the headlines at City, and that is by no means surprising given his incredible talent. But Alvarez can use the boost from his World Cup form to create the strongest argument yet that he has exactly what it takes to pick up where Aguero left off more than a year ago.
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