24 games later and Manchester City’s summer acquisition Sávio Moreira de Oliveira, known mononymously as Sávio or Sávinho, is finally starring in a game for the Premier League champions and earning high praise from Pep Guardiola.
The Spaniard has always talked about the 20-year-old Brazilian’s ability but the summer acquisition from Girona has been unable to replicate the form that made him such a menace for the small Catalan club last season.
There was no better game for him to finally show what he was capable of than Manchester City’s latest game, which ended in a 2 – 0 victory for them. This would be their first win in over 10 games in all competitions and Sávinho was the catalyst behind it all. His goal and assist helped the defending champions defeat Leicester City at the King Power Stadium and the team’s overall performance was such that the rest of the league have been put on notice.
Guardiola chose to give credit to the Brazilian who was finally registering a goal for the first time since his signing while also praising the team for responding to his plays and inadvertently coming out of the rut they had been in.
“We’re a way from what we have to be as a team, but Sávinho made an incredible performance again like he did against Everton,” said Guardiola. “He’s a guy who can play on both sides, today he finally scored a goal.
“He has an incredible ability and quality he’s proven in that period. He arrived in the six months when the team isn’t in the best moment than maybe he expected, compared with the past.
“He makes one action fine, second fine, third miss it, four mistake, five mistake, the sixth try again and try again and try again. And until the end he tries.
“Defensively he’s not incredible in the one v one, but his work rate is impressive and he’s so aggressive on both sides. He’s had a lot of chances but the moment you score one or two, you’ll score a lot. I’m really pleased for him for the game, the goal, the assist for Erling.
“On the left he can make those crosses, the game he played was really good.”
Speaking about the team’s performance in general, Guardiola said: “I changed a bit against Everton, today I didn’t change anything from what we’ve done.
“This is one thing I reflect on; you have to change a lot in those periods – or less, I don’t know – but today was quite similar to what we’ve done in the past.
“Erling broke a little this bad momentum of not scoring goals, Kevin is back so step by step hopefully we can get players back and back to playing our best.
“I thought a lot to change – yeah, I thought – but the alternative wasn’t as good. That’s why I didn’t change much, it was more to give the players calm, have the players back and fit.
“This is the most important thing in the end.”
