Guardiola training me to play like Messi, Lewandowski – Iheanacho

Kelechi Iheanacho has revealed that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola prepares him for matches with video clips of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski.

Guardiola has tipped the Nigerian hotshot to become one of the world’s finest forwards if he can learn from the Argentine magician and the 2015-2016 Bundesliga topscorer.

Despite tough competition for places at star-studded City, Iheanacho has netted five times in 15 appearances this season and has admitted that he needs to keep watching their video clips and improve on the skills he is not working on.

“Of course he [Guardiola] tells me about them, that I should really watch them and see what they are doing and make sure I am improving on what I am not doing,” Iheanacho said.

“They are great strikers, big stars so you need to see how you can improve your game, to work in training.

“They both have great qualities and they have a lot of different abilities.

“It’s important of course that you be yourself, you are your own player, you have your own style but of course you need to see what they are doing too.

“I watch all of their games. They are great players and I need to watch them to improve. They have great qualities and you need to see what they are doing. Everyone’s quality is different but you have to take some things they are doing and put it in your game and work on it.”

The 20-year-old came on a second-half substitute in City’s 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Etihad on Sunday.