Pep Guardiola praises Ederson and De Bruyne performances as Manchester City rout Real Madrid in Los Angeles

Goalkeeper makes string of fine saves to keep City in the game while Belgian playmaker had a hand in three of City's goals

Manchester City defender John Stones, left, and Real Madrid defender Daniel Carvajal battle for the ball during their International Champions Cup (ICC) football match on July 26, 2017 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. City won the match 4-1. Ringo Chiu / AFP

Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden, right eyes the ball with Isco of Real Madrid. Ringo Chiu / AFP

Manchester City's Kyle Walker, left, heads the ball in front of Real Madrid's Marcelo. Paul Buck / EPA

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, right, and Manchester City's Nicolas Otamendi vie for the ball. Paul Buck / EPA

Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, left, makes a save against Manchester City. Ringo Chiu / AFP

Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas makes a save against the Manchester City. Ringo Chiu / AFP

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, front left, argues with an official. Jae C Hong / AP Photo

Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus, centre, shoots under pressure from Real Madrid's Raphael Varane. Jae C Hong / AP Photo

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola gestures. Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus in action with Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal. Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

Manchester City's Kyle Walker, top, avoids a tackle from Real Madrid's Gareth Bale. Jae C Hong / AP Photo

Manchester City's Nicolas Otamendi, front, kicks the ball away from Real Madrid's Gareth Bale. Jae C Hong / AP Photo

Manchester City's Nicolas Otamendi (30) shoots. Jae C Hong / AP Photo

Manchester City's John Stones celebrates a goal by Nicolas Otamendi. Jae C Hong / AP Photo

Real Madrid's Casemiro, centre, dribbles past Manchester City's John Stones, left. Jae C Hong / AP Photo

Manchester City's John Stones, top, celebrates his goal with Kyle Walker. Jae C Hong / AP Photo

Ederson will reap the rewards from thwarting European football's most potent attacking force, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says.

City romped to a 4-1 win over Uefa Champions League holders Real Madrid in Los Angeles on Wednesday, after a second-half blitz saw Guardiola's side secure a first pre-season victory.

However, before defender Nicolas Otamendi breaking the deadlock and changing the course of the game with the opening goal early in the second half, City had been indebted to new goalkeeper Ederson making several superb saves.

Ederson, signed for €40 million (Dh172m) in June, prompted some question marks after a costly error in last week's defeat to Manchester United.

Yet Guardiola is in no doubt that the 23-year-old custodian is on course to become Brazil's first-choice stopper.

"Of course it's important for him," Guardiola said of the strong performance on Wednesday. "We knew his quality. To make a performance like today, helps us a lot.

"Sooner or later, he will become the Brazil national team keeper.

"He saved many, many balls. He has the quality to read the situations and he put in a good performance."

Two of City's four second-half goals in the International Champions Cup tie came from corners with centre-halves Otamendi and John Stones both getting on the scoresheet.

Those two strikes were sandwiched by a cool finish from substitute Raheem Sterling after the impressive Kevin de Bruyne had a hand in all three goals.

"When Kevin's mood is optimistic, he puts in performances like this," Guardiola said. "It's difficult to find a player with his quality, fight and movement anywhere in the world.

"He's a guy who fights, passes and assists and many other things. Hopefully he can be positive like the last three weeks."

Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne, right. Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

After going 3-0 up, City were twice denied by the woodwork. Francisco Casilla produced a stunning finger-tip save to push De Bruyne's free kick onto the post and then Leroy Sane smashing the ball against the near post within seconds of entering the field.

But teenage substitute Brahim Diaz eventually added a fourth for City with a superb fourth goal, before Oscar Rodriguez grabbed a late consolation for Real with an even better strike.

Despite such an emphatic scoreline against the two-time reigning Champions League winners, Guardiola refused to get carried away by the magnitude of the victory.

"I want to convince them [that] playing in that way is the best way to achieve our dreams, our targets," he said. "To be aggressive without the ball, that is good for Manchester City. Real Madrid were champions of Europe for the last two times. Pre-season for them is not as important as it is for us.

"Of course it's good for the confidence, to see the players with this intensity at this level. But it's just pre-season. It's just a friendly game.

"The result is nothing important. It's the way we try to fight for each other which is the most important thing for our future."

There was little hint of such a big win for City during the first half after Real had been in the ascendancy, with some eye-catching play in midfield. Isco, in particular, persistently stretched the City back-line with his range of passing.

Ederson was forced to produce smart saves to deny Isco, Karim Benzema and Casemiro, with the latter also heading against the post.

But once Otamendi smashed home on the rebound after Keylor Navas had kept out John Stones' header, Zinedine Zidane's side looked jaded and the manager swiftly introduced a full team of youngsters from the bench.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane walks across the field. Jae C Hong / AP Photo

Zidane wasn't too disheartened, drawing the positives from the opening 45 minutes.

"Ultimately it's a bad result, but not a bad game," Zidane said. "My job is to look towards the next match and improve.

"I've been impressed by the youngsters. I'm very happy with all of them."