Football Fernandinho irreplaceable among Guardiola's winning addicts at Man City Pep Guardiola believes winning is like a drug for Manchester City stars such as Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero. Dom Farrell 06 January, 2019 12:40 IST Fernandinho irreplaceable among Guardiola's winning addicts at Man City Dom Farrell 06 January, 2019 12:40 IST Fernandinho's bravura display in Manchester City's 2-1 win over Premier League title rival Liverpool proved he is irreplaceable, according to manager Pep Guardiola.The Premier League champion closed to within four points of Jurgen Klopp's leader at the summit thanks to goals from Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane either side of Roberto Firmino's second-half equaliser.Fernandinho sat out City's back-to-back defeats against Crystal Palace and Leicester City last month, with John Stones and Ilkay Gundogan providing uneasy alternatives at the base of Guardiola's midfield as Liverpool was gifted the initiative.READ | Fernandinho hopes Liverpool crumble under pressureAnd, in a season when star man Kevin De Bruyne has been limited to a solitary league start due to medial knee ligament injuries, Guardiola knows he can ill afford his 33-year-old midfield general spending any more time on the sidelines."Fernandinho's specific qualities, we do not have a replacement for him – his kind of duels, the way he is going backwards," said the City manager."He is an incredible, outstanding player for us. Against Liverpool he showed it again. Friday mood! pic.twitter.com/X4QUAHP2FO— Fernandinho (@fernandinho) January 4, 2019 "And pray, pray [for him] to be fit for as long as possible."Another veteran of City's previous title triumphs, Aguero, opened the scoring on Thursday by beating Alisson with a thunderous finish from an almost implausible angle.It was the Argentina striker's 250th league goal of a career that started with Independiente in his homeland before a move to Atletico Madrid. Guardiola ranks City's all-time top scorer Aguero and Fernandinho among a select few of his first-team squad for whom winning is akin to a drug – proven characters who could be pivotal should the battle with Liverpool go to the wire. "Always he responds," the ex-Barcelona boss said of Aguero. "He has these incredible numbers."I have a lot of respect for the players who stay 10, 11, 12 years – every year doing that. They are the ones I respect the most. Sergio Aguero is Man City's all-time top-scorer. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES "Everybody can make an exceptional season or good moments in six months or two seasons."But players like Vincent [Kompany], like David [Silva], like Sergio, like Nicolas Otamendi, who every single year are there competing with the desire to do more and more and more..."Winning is so addictive. It is something when you taste it, you go, 'wow, I want more of that'."The hedonism of midweek at the Etihad Stadium, where Guardiola credited a raucous home crowd for being "close to us more than I ever saw before in my period here", gives way to a Sunday visit from Rotherham United in the third round of the FA Cup. Last night will be remembered. Love to our fans who pushed us throughout. Together we can go above and beyond. #ManCity pic.twitter.com/9tdUYta1TK— Vincent Kompany (@VincentKompany) January 4, 2019 Then comes the first leg of an EFL Cup semifinal against Burton Albion as City continues to battle for trophies of four fronts.As much as he welcomes that challenge, Guardiola conceded there might be more enjoyable ways to spend the English winter."I would like to have two months of holidays right now, definitely," he added. "This month was really tough but it is what it is.READ | Kompany: City performance beyond anything ever witnessed"We want to become a top, top club. You cannot deny any game, you cannot drop any competition."I don't know how we are going to be. Maybe if we didn't play in the Carabao Cup it would be easy for our recovery. For example, Liverpool are out [of the EFL Cup] and have more time to prepare the Premier League."But I prefer to be in [City's] position. We have enough of a squad – Kevin is coming back, Gundogan is coming back. Everybody is going to rotate and everybody is going to play. It is the only way." Champions League semifinal leg 2: Real Madrid v Manchester City preview; star players; injury update Villarreal vs Liverpool Champions League semifinal leg 2: Two goals too many for Emery's boys? Liverpool must be ready to suffer against Villarreal - Klopp Liverpool vs Villarreal, Jurgen Klopp vs Unai Emery - Exciting Champions League clash awaits Anfield Read more stories on Football. More Videos Champions League preview: Real Madrid's English rivalry - takes on City in semifinal first leg Villarreal's Etienne Capoue: We're up against the best in the competition Erik Ten Hag's to-do list at Manchester United - what should be on the Dutchman's agenda? Rangnick: Liverpool has 25 Formula One racing cars in their squad Kolkata football's bar pujo - what this Bengali football tradition is all about | Poila Baisakh Northern Ireland manager's sexist remark: Women more emotional than men, prone to conceding goals quickly Matildas footballer Aivi Luik shaves her head on the pitch From Italy to Ibrahimovic - Nations and players who will miss the FIFA World Cup 2022