Sergio Aguero has handed over the goalscoring mantle to Kelechi Iheanacho, urging the young Nigerian to keep firing for Manchester City while he serves his suspension.
Aguero was sent off late on in the 3-1 defeat to Chelsea at the weekend and will now serve a four-match ban which will keep him out of the side until December 31.
Iheanacho started up front and scored City’s only goal in the 1-1 draw with Celtic in the Champions League on Tuesday, and afterwards revealed that Aguero had already given him some words of encouragement.
“Before we played Celtic [he said] that it’s up to me now to fill that gap, to carry the team along,” the 20-year-old told reporters. “He’s telling me I should do very well and they are words of encouragement from him. So I’m going to do it.
“It’s going to be a great responsibility for me. I need to really work hard to help the team get these points we need in the Premier League. It’s a tough league, everyone can see that. I need to do extra to help the team to carry them along and to get the points that we need.
“It’s a big opportunity for me now. Sergio’s not around so I have to take responsibility and fill the gap. I need to work really hard to prove myself to the team.”
Aguero, as City’s first-choice striker, has been constantly told to improve his game in a number of different areas by Pep Guardiola this season, and is now doing more work for the team than ever before.
Iheanacho has also been charged with adding more than just goals to his game, and he says training sessions have been rigorous as he and his team-mates are taught a new approach.
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