“He’s UNBELIEVABLE” – Pep Guardiola Watches £2m Man City Star Make His Case With Jaw-Dropping Performance

Manchester City’s relentless pursuit of youth silverware continued on Friday evening, as they edged past Liverpool in a dramatic 2-1 play-off victory to keep their Premier League 2 title hopes alive.
City’s youngsters had already secured top spot in the regular Premier League 2 season, showcasing their dominance across the campaign. However, under the new play-off system introduced last season, simply finishing first no longer guarantees the title. Instead, the 16 best teams enter a knockout-style competition, and the real battle for the championship only begins once the regular season ends.
After struggling under this new format in its inaugural year, City have shown impressive resilience to bounce back to the summit this term — but their hard work could have easily been undone if they had stumbled at the first hurdle.
Mubama the Match-Winner as City Scrape Through
Under-21s head coach Ben Wilkinson’s side looked in real danger of an early exit against a spirited Liverpool side, but a crucial brace from Divin Mubama saved the day — with more than a little assistance from Liverpool’s under-pressure goalkeeper.
Mubama, who arrived from West Ham last summer in a £2 million deal, demonstrated the predatory instincts that have defined his season. His first goal came in opportunistic fashion when Ashton Muir’s low shot was palmed upwards by Liverpool’s keeper, inadvertently bouncing off Mubama’s head and into the back of the net from close range.
City continued to press for a second goal in the second half. Mubama was unlucky not to double his tally when he struck the post following some excellent footwork and a precise cutback from Reigan Heskey. Moments later, Heskey himself missed a golden opportunity to restore City’s lead, firing over from just a few yards out.
Liverpool punished City’s wastefulness by netting an equaliser in the second half, sending the match into extra time and piling the pressure onto Wilkinson’s young stars.
However, Mubama once again proved decisive. After Ryan McAidoo’s effort was spilled by Liverpool’s goalkeeper — eerily similar to the first goal — Mubama was on hand to sweep the ball home, restoring City’s advantage and ultimately sealing their passage to the quarter-finals.
Practice Makes Perfect for Mubama
Mubama’s knack for being in the right place at the right time is no fluke. It’s a trait seen among the very best strikers, and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola had previously highlighted it after Mubama scored on his senior debut in an FA Cup tie against Salford City in January.
Speaking at the time, Guardiola praised the 20-year-old’s intelligent movement, saying:
“Divin’s movement is unbelievable. The way he moves at the right tempo and how he presses is excellent. For his goal, it looks easy, but the counter movement he makes against the defender is really, really good.”
That intelligence and instinct were fully on display against Liverpool, taking Mubama’s season tally to an impressive 13 goals and four assists in just 13 matches, despite battling a frustrating injury earlier in the campaign.
Now fully fit, the young forward will be hoping to emulate previous Under-21s top scorers like Liam Delap, Cole Palmer, and James McAtee — all of whom have gone on to earn valuable first-team opportunities under Guardiola.
Mubama has already tasted a small slice of senior action, having made two first-team appearances and been named on the bench five times this season. With the Club World Cup on the horizon this summer, he will be eyeing a potential call-up depending on squad availability and Guardiola’s willingness to blood new talent.
City Prepare for a Quarter-Final Showdown Against Arsenal
Following their gritty win over Liverpool, Manchester City will now turn their attention to a huge quarter-final clash against Arsenal. Should they progress, a semi-final tie awaits at home, where they could face Manchester United, West Ham, or Sunderland, depending on results.
Under-21 head coach Ben Wilkinson expressed pride in his team’s resilience after such a stern test, emphasising the importance of the new play-off system in preparing young players for the pressures of senior football.
“The way this format is structured is built to give the players the experience of high-stakes games,” Wilkinson explained. “It means that any of the 16 teams have a real chance of winning it. These knockout games are tough, and that’s exactly how it should be at this level. Liverpool are a very good side and made it a real battle — and that’s what we want for our players.”
City know that while their league dominance this season has been impressive, it will count for little unless they can now navigate the knockouts and lift the ultimate prize.
The road to the title continues next weekend when Arsenal visit the Etihad Campus — and with Divin Mubama in fine form, City will believe they can go all the way.