Pep Guardiola will not speak to Gianluigi Donnarumma about receiving four bookings in 10 Premier League appearances because the Manchester City goalkeeper is “adult enough” to understand his conduct must be tempered.
Three of the Italian’s yellow cards have been for dissent, including in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Leeds, and the other for time-wasting. If the 26-year-old is cautioned in City’s next six games he will become the first goalkeeper to receive a one-match ban for accumulating five Premier League bookings.
Although 12 goalkeepers have received five or more cautions in a Premier League season, none did so quickly enough to be banned – the mark is five yellows in the first 19 league matches.
Guardiola was asked whether he would speak to Donnarumma, a summer signing from Paris Saint-Germain. “No, he is adult enough,” the manager said. “For sure, we will step-by-step understand things in the league and new behaviours.”
The contract of Phil Foden, who scored twice against Leeds, including the winner, expires in summer 2027 and Guardiolasaid: “Hopefully he can stay all his career here. He is a special player, a Man City fan from the academy.”
Foden has three goals in 11 league appearances this season, second at City to Erling Haaland, who has scored 14 times in 13 games. Guardiola believes Foden’s goal tally can end in the high teens, as it did two seasons ago when he got 19.
“The years where we’ve been successful, not just the strikers [but] especially wingers, attacking midfielders [score many],” Guardiola said. “So we need that. ”
Rodri remains unavailable for City’s trip to Fulham on Tuesday because of a hamstring problem.
