It`s a bit of an odd feeling I`m having right now because it is almost as if last night didn`t actually happen.
Of course, it did, and we lost, but it seemed like a friendly after the first leg and, duly, a number of our players performed accordingly.
It was a shame, in a way, because I wanted to see some of our fringe players get a result and the likes of Yaya Toure to succeed in what could be one of his final games for us but, clearly, that isn`t how it went.
Certainly, though, most of us won`t be thinking about it already given that it ended up being such a low-profile game but there were some things to take from it.
First of all, Pep needs to find a way to keep the intensity up when he does field a weaker side as I think we`ll see more of that once the league is wrapped up to challenge in Europe and, secondly, Phil Foden should get more game-time this season.
It might seem like a risk given his age, but he looks already better than a lot of what we have in the squad and that is saying something looking at our options.
He was one of the few yesterday that showed real impetus and desire and I think he deserves to be rewarded with more minutes in the league between now and May.
We can`t play him all the time, of course, but Stoke on Monday strikes me as a potential game worth playing him in as we look to preserve the legs of Ilkay Gundogan and David Silva.
I wouldn`t even suggest it if I thought it would weaken the side, but I don`t think it does, he already looks good enough for certain top-level games and the next one in the league falls into that category.
Agree with me?
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