Manchester City news: John Stones hailed as ‘a f****** player’ by Willy Caballero as defender impresses on debut

WILLY CABALLERO hailed John Stones as a “f****** player” after his Manchester City debut.

Stones, 22, made his first appearance for City in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Sunderland following his £47.5million move from Everton.

Pep Guardiola signed the defender for his ability on the ball and is using him to begin the process of revolutionising the Etihad club.

When asked about Guardiola’s demands of playing out from the back, Caballero, 34, said: “This is a very important change.

“Sometimes we are taking risks when we pass the ball in our backline and my first pass was really complicated because they could have scored, but after that we played better from the back and we can start playing as the boss wants, but we need minutes. We need minutes together.

“Two or three players have arrived in the last week. John played today like a f****** player, he plays as he has been here from the last three or four years.

“It’s important to play together. We need games and minutes together to have experience together and to have rhythm and to play better.”

Cabellero’s selection was Guardiola’s first controversial decision as City boss.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich chief took on the Etihad hierarchy to axe the England No1.

And the snub has left Hart’s future up in the air, with Everton and Sevilla both interested.

Caballero’s own career appeared to be on the rocks. When asked whether he was worried about leaving the Etihad, he said: “Yeah, but it’s different now. For sure it’s very tough in this situation for me, for Joe, for the fans, for everything.

“But I just tried to think and enjoy the opportunity and the most important thing is that we won as well. I wanted this opportunity.

“I try to show to Pep and all my players and all the City fans in every single day that I have had in the last three years.”