Ederson admits desire to step up for Manchester City in goalscoring department | OneFootball

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson has revealed his desire to step up in a penalty shoot-out, and specifically when it comes to a decisive spot-kick.

The Manchester City number one has taken two decisive penalties in the club’s last two competitive shoot-outs against Manchester United in the FA Community Shield and Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of last season’s Champions League.

Having scored both penalties at crucial moments of each shoot-out, a conversation and debate was sparked over whether the Brazil international is in fact the club’s best in such situations, despite the likes of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne being at the club.

Speaking to Manchester City’s official club website, Pep Guardiola’s number one choice goalkeeper admitted that he feels he is the man required to step up to the spot when it comes to a decisive moment in a penalty shoot-out for the club.

“I don’t get the opportunity to practice them (penalties) much, maybe once or twice in training,” Ederson said.

“I am always telling my team-mates that if it comes to a penalty shootout, I want to be able to take one and I want to take the fifth one!”

He continued, “It is all about pressure, but I try to stay calm and that is the main difference. I try to stay calm as if it is a training session, relax myself.

“A lot of players feel this pressure, I do as well, but it is something I enjoy.”

Manchester City came close to parting ways with Ederson during the last summer transfer window, when it emerged that Saudi Arabian clubs were keen on recruiting the goalkeeper, but ultimately failed to come close to the Premier League champions’ £50 million valuation.

Ederson has been crucial to Pep Guardiola’s operation since he first joined the club from SL Benfica in the summer of 2017, with the Catalan coach publicly raising such a belief during a recent press conference.

“How many years we are together, eight years with Ederson, the success that we had – without him?! I cannot visualise. I cannot,” Guardiola told reporters following a blockbuster performance from the 31-year-old against Fulham last weekend.