Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola described Eric Garcia and Taylor Harwood-Bellis as exceptional human beings after they helped the Citizens reach the Carabao Cup fourth round.
Teenagers Garcia and Harwood-Bellis contributed to City's clean sheet in a 3-0 win at Championship club Preston North End on Tuesday, with Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and a Ryan Ledson own goal sealing a comfortable victory.
City's defensive injury crisis, with Aymeric Laporte and John Stones sidelined, has left Nicolas Otamendi as their only senior centre-back after the departure of club captain Vincent Kompany.
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Yet Garcia and senior debutant Harwood-Bellis impressed enough against Alex Neil's side to suggest they can be options for City as they seek to defend all three of their domestic trophies.