‘We need a big presence’ – Guardiola on keeper dilemma

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says “everyone will be involved” this season as he weighs up his starting goalkeeper for Sunday’s derby against Manchester United.

Italy international Gianluigi Donnarumma joined from Paris St-Germain on transfer deadline day, after City signed James Trafford and Marcus Bettinelli in the summer, while Stefan Ortega also remains part of the squad.

The club also sold long-time number one Ederson to Fenerbahce for £12.1m to end a trophy-filled eight years at Etihad Stadium.

Guardiola paid tribute to the Brazilian, who helped create a “special way for the best decade for this club”, but wanted to “try a new experience”.

The Spaniard also praised Ilkay Gundogan and Manuel Akanji – who also left for Galatasaray and Inter Milan – for their contributions to City’s past success.

But as he now focuses on City’s future, Guardiola needs to decide whether to throw £26m signing Donnarumma straight in against United or continue with Trafford, who has started the first three games this season.

“He is so tall, he is so huge,” he said of Donnarumma, 26. “[From] all the keepers we want is safe balls, give confidence to the team, have personality and a big presence.

“In the biggest stages in the Champions League last season, at Villa Park, Anfield and in many games, he proved how good he is.

“He is going to concede goals, that is for sure, but all of us, we are going to try to handle it.”

Asked about the 22-year-old Trafford, Guardiola replied: “He is a keeper for Man City. I can only play one keeper, I can play two full-backs, two centre-backs.

“The season is so long everyone will be involved. They may not believe it but they will.”

The signing of Donnarumma appears to shift away from the sweeper-keeper ability of Ederson, who changed the face of goalkeeping in the Premier League with the ball at this feet.

The Brazilian provided seven assists in the English top flight, more than any other goalkeeper, while there is often the suggestion Donnarumma is not as comfortable in possession.

“I always try to adapt the quality of the players,” added Guardiola. “I will not demand to Gigi to do something like he is uncomfortable.

“We are talking about the best players I’ve ever seen in the distribution, in short and long, I’ve ever seen with Ederson. So, we didn’t take Gigi to do what Ederson has done, Gigi has another quality.

Striker Erling Haaland comes into the game on the back of scoring an incredible five goals in Norway’s 11-1 hammering of Moldova during the recent World Cup qualifiers.

The 25-year-old’s goal in the defeat at Brighton before the break also took his tally to 88 in just 100 Premier League games – the most by a player to reach that milestone.

Earlier on Friday, Liverpool boss Arne Slot described Alexander Isak as “maybe the best striker in the world” following the Sweden international’s move to Anfield for a British record £125m fee.

But Guardiola responded: “Erling is a little bit above.

“Isak is an exceptional player. You ask what Erling is as a striker – he’s the top. But Isak must be a top player for what they paid, obviously.

“Another person would say [Kylian] Mbappe, another person would say [Lionel] Messi, another person would say Cristiano [Ronaldo]. That’s fine. It is a game of opinions and everyone has the right to an opinion.

“What I’m saying is that I would not change Erling for anyone. I know him. He is incredible as a player, adorable as a person and I like him.”

City go into the 197th derby on the back of consecutive league defeats and are 13th in the table, with United a point ahead in ninth.

It is the first time they have trailed their rivals heading into a Manchester derby since 2020.

Haaland told Viaplay: “We’ve lost two games in a row, it’s not good enough, it’s way too bad. We need to figure it out, get back to winning ways. We can’t afford to lose games, as there’s so many good teams.