Alan Shearer believes Pep Guardiola made the right decision to impose sanctions on Jack Grealish and Phil Foden after the Leeds mauling with the judgement paying dividends in the win over Brentford.
Foden scored the only goal of the game at the Brentford Community Stadium, as Manchester City moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after Liverpool and Chelsea both dropped points.
And former Newcastle star Shearer lauded the 21-year-old as the difference-maker in a triumph that saw Guardiola's side notch their 10th straight win to gain a stronger hold at the summit.
It comes after both Grealish and Foden were spotted at a nightclub hours after they steamrolled Leeds before Christmas — prompting the Catalan to take action on the England duo.
Guardiola was hailed by Shearer for the treatment of the pair, with the City academy graduate repaying the manager's faith.
"We know how much ability he has, he’s obviously still learning the game, he’s got points to prove to the manager," he told Amazon Prime.
"When the manager feels you’ve let him or the club down, he’s left him out and at that particular football club, you have to take that on board because if you’re not in the team somebody else will go in the team and stay in the team.
"So when you get your opportunity when the manager says ‘okay, now’s the time’ you’ve got to prove him right and he did that tonight he was the difference.
"It wasn’t vintage Manchester City particularly going forward we’ve seen them play much better stuff but it was a different kind of game because when you look at Chelsea had to do here you look at Liverpool, and you look when Arsenal came here.
"Despite all the injures Brentford had, they make it difficult for you because they cram that defence they've got five at the back three in the middle and another two and it’s very difficult and makes it tough to break down.
" City couldn’t do that a lot of the time a lot of it was sideways backwards and possession-based and they had to sit on that 1-0 and I don't think Man City were ever in real danger they controlled the game without playing particularly well.
He also said prior to City's win over Brentford: "I think that is key. He’s got without doubt an unbelievable squad but if he has to put someone on the naughty step like Grealish or like Foden, then you’ve got someone with equal ability to come in.
"That’s also proven a point if you’re not going to do things, he’s able to do that. Everyone knows in that squad if they're not at it, have a poor game or two poor games, they’re out. Someone else comes in for that opportunity, you have to be at it every single game otherwise you’re gone."
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