Manchester City made light work of Basel in the Champions League Last 16 first-leg tie, beating the Swiss giants 4-0 on the road.

What we discovered yesterday is that other than being one of the most in-form teams in Europe, Pep Guardiola really rates one player in particular rather highly.

It will not have gone unnoticed to most City fans that Ilkay Gundogan has been playing more and more regularly.

What may not have been quite so apparent is what Guardiola thinks of the midfielder of Turkish orgin.

Guardiola rates Gundogan so highly that he feels the Citizens really missed him when he was out for several months last season with injury.

In fact, Guardiola views the 27-year-old as being in the same class as Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva – take that haters!

See More: “The future belongs to you” – Gundogan Reaches Out To £17.5m Man City Target On Social Media

Guardiola had the following to say after the game: “Ilkay is a guy with a special quality.

“He is an amazing midfield player with a sense for goal, he loves to go to the box.

“When I see him play I realise how much we missed him last season.

“He was out for six-seven months, he is a special player and has lots of personality.

“He does not feel the pressure.

“He is a top, top, top, top player.

“I think with Kevin [De Bruyne] and David Silva we have three outstanding attacking midfielders.”

Is Gundogan the secret to Man City’s dominance this year? pic.twitter.com/cNCczuAghd

— Goal (@goal) February 14, 2018