PEP'S RAY OF SONSHINE

Guardiola knows Stones like family and loves 'adorable professional

- DAVID ANDERSON

PEP GUARDIOLA claims John Stones is like a "a son" to him at Manchester City because he knows him so well.

Stones joined City in the summer of 2016, just weeks after Guardiola arrived to begin his trophy-laden reign, and is in his ninth season at the Etihad.

Guardiola says it has been hard for Stones to break up Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji's centre-half pairing, but says the England defender is invaluable to City.