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Pep Guardiola insists two-goal hero John Stones 'deserves the best' as Graeme Souness and Micah Richards lead plaudits for Manchester City defender 'playing the football of his life'

Pep Guardiola hailed centre-back John Stones as someone who 'deserves the best' as England's defender of yesteryear continued his remarkable comeback into Manchester City's first team.

Stones bagged his first two league goals for City in their 4-0 hammering of Crystal Palace, which sent Guardiola's men to second in the table with a game in hand over league leaders and bitter rivals Manchester United.

The former Everton defender is enjoying a renaissance having been effectively exiled from Guardiola's plans for almost all of last season, where at times he chose to shift midfielder Fernandinho into defence to partner Aymeric Laporte rather than risk Stones.