MANCHESTER -- Aleix Garcia is determined to show Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola that he can be trusted in big games.
Garcia, 19, made his third start for the club in Wednesday's 5-1 FA Cup replay victory over Huddersfield Town.
Guardiola was delighted with the midfielder's performance, telling a news conference: "Aleix played really well.
"He was a little bit shy at the beginning, but he's a player with something special. I'm really pleased."
Garcia, who joined City from Villarreal in 2015, has been training with the first team all season and has made three Premier League appearances as a substitute.
City face a run of five games in 14 days, and Garcia is hoping that busy spell will give him another chance to show Guardiola he can be relied upon.
'I tried to work hard every day to get chances," he told reporters. "There's a lot of games coming in the next few weeks and I think there's going to be a lot of rotation in the squad.
"When I play, if I have the opportunity, I'm going to try to show the manager he can count on me for the future."
Garcia faces tough competition to start ahead of Fernandinho and Yaya Toure, who has excelled in the deep-lying midfield role since coming back into the side.
He said: "I really like that position because the manager gives me a lot of confidence and a lot of freedom.
"I adapt to that position and to the team and I think it's a key position to our game.
"I feel really comfortable and also my teammates help me a lot to help me be involved in the team."