Guardiola

By Max Wise

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he feels sad and sorry keeping the club’s record signing Riyad Mahrez on the bench.

Guardiola has blamed the development on himself and form of the likes of Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane.

The 27-year-old Algerian, who joined Manchester City from Leicester City at the start of the season for a club record £60m, has played 34 times for the Citizens in all competitions this season, scoring nine goals, but has not started a Premier League game since the start of the year.

Mahrez has been an unused substitute in four of City’s seven Premier League games this year, whiles he has climbed off the bench just twice and failed to make the matchday squad altogether against Huddersfield on January 20.

Guardiola insists he is satisfied with the 2016 PFA Player of the Year’s output in training and takes the blame for failing to give him more minutes on the field.

Asked why he was not playing, the City boss replied: "I have a reason. I am the reason. He is absolutely not guilty."

"I am sad because he is training incredibly, he is an incredibly talented player. But at this moment we have five strikers. For example, the last games [home wins over Arsenal and Chelsea] Leroy [Sane] hasn't played.

"We have incredible players, like for example Bernardo and Raz in top, top form and that is the only reason why, there’s no particular reason, like [me] being upset or something like that.

"He is a guy we are happy with, but unfortunately I am not kind with him. In fact, I cannot give him the minutes he deserves, so I'm sorry. That's all I can say."