Pep Guardiola’s ‘Only Mistake’ Since Joining Manchester City Highlighted by Frank Leboeuf [Exclusive]

You never mention blunders and Pep Guardiola in the same sentence. The Manchester City boss is, if not perhaps, one of the greatest managers of all time. The ongoing season has seen the Spaniard chase history with the Cityzens, with the side in the hunt for a consecutive treble. However, his side has seen a massive change from last season, with some notable names leaving the club. No, we are not talking about Ilkay Gündogan!

One name that has done wonders leaving Manchester City has been Cole Palmer. The young English superstar has set the stage on fire with his performances for Chelsea. Ever since moving to Stamford Bridge, Palmer has emerged as a silver lining for Mauricio Pochettino‘s side, bagging 16 goals in 27 league appearances. To discuss the matters of Pep Guardiola, letting him go, French legend, Frank Leboeuf, spoke exclusively to Essentially Sports, thanks to Betideas.com, while referring to the Englishman’s move to Chelsea as Pep Guardiola’s only mistake after taking over Manchester City.

Leboeuf stated, “Yeah, I think that’s the only mistake Guardiola has made since he joined Manchester City. Well, I know that he wanted him to stay, but I think Cole Palmer wanted to play a little bit more, and that’s only fair. But Cole Palmer has made a huge impact at Stamford Bridge. He may be the only player you cannot criticize or complain about. He’s been absolutely tremendous in what he has done to represent the club.”

The Frenchman’s words make a lot of sense, as Palmer could have been a tremendous asset for Pep Guardiola, with his side suffering from injuries this season. However, the Manchester City boss has claimed time and again that he has no plans of keeping any player within the team who does not want to stay at the club.

Pep Guardiola comments on Cole Palmer’s exit from Manchester City

The Manchester City boss commented on the Englishman’s exit from the club earlier this season before the clash against Chelsea. While Palmer has been on an impressive run since moving from City, the manager has no qualms about letting the player walk away.

Guardiola noted, “After two or three seasons, he wanted more minutes than the last season. I understand completely,” he said. “If Palmer had the minutes I gave to Phil [Foden] from the beginning, Cole Palmer would be here – but I didn’t give them to him. That is my responsibility. Why? Because of Bernardo [Silva], Riyad [Mahrez], Phil. In that moment, I chose the other ones.”

READ MORE: Mauricio Pochettino Compares Cole Palmer to Lionel Messi After Chelsea’s FA Cup Draw vs Aston Villa

Cole Palmer has done a fantastic job and will look to establish himself as a cornerstone for Chelsea in the coming years. With 16 goals to his name in the Premier League, the Englishman can leave everyone shellshocked by bagging the Golden Boot this season. Palmer is just three goals behind ex-teammate Erling Haaland and has a fair chance of lifting the coveted award.

READ MORE: “Thank You for the Compliment!” – Pep Guardiola Defends ‘Boring’ Manchester City After Gary Neville’s Jibe