Premier League: Pep Guardiola hails 'excellent' display from Manchester City against United

Manchester [UK], March 7 : Head coach Pep Guardiola felt Manchester City delivered a performance of the highest quality as they cruised to a derby victory over Manchester United on Sunday.
City led 2-1 at the break thanks to a brace from Man of the Match Kevin De Bruyne but outclassed our local rivals in the second period when Riyad Mahrez was on target twice to wrap up a comfortable win.
"The display was excellent," Guardiola said at his post-match press conference.
"We let them run a lot in the first half but we made an excellent performance. I am the biggest critic of my team, but today in the second half we played really good. We struggled to make a better build up [in the first half] but I don't think they created much problems."
"We felt from the first minute of the second half that we had the game in hand. Today, the best thing we have done, especially in the second half, was that we played with the rhythm we have to play. We cannot play all the time in one rhythm. In the right moment we have to run and today we did it really well," the Catalan said.
The league leaders are now on 69 points, six clear of second-placed Liverpool who have played a match fewer. Having lost for the first time in nine league matches, United drop to fifth, a point adrift of Arsenal in fourth having played three matches more.