'If a team had three Fernandinhos, they would be champions' - Pep Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has praised the versatility of Fernandinho, claiming that having three of the Brazilians would guarantee a championship. 

Fernandinho is primarily a defensive midfielder but has been used in a number of varied roles for Manchester City this season, and Guardiola said the 31-year-old has been key to the club's early success. 

Guardiola told English newspapers: "That is because Fernandinho can do everything. "What we have achieved so far would have been impossible without him. He is fast, he is intelligent, strong in the air and he can play in several positions. 

"No sooner does he see a space than he runs there immediately. If you need someone to make a correction or a challenge, he sees it too. 

"If a team had three Fernandinhos, they would be champions. We only have one and he is very important to us."