Micah Hamilton has revealed he got a case of ‘jelly legs’ when Pep Guardiola said his name when reading out the starting XI for Manchester City’s game with Red Star Belgrade.
The youngster enjoyed a dream first-team debut on Wednesday night, as he opened the scoring for team in Serbia in their final Champions League group stage match, which finished 3-2 to City.
Hamilton struck midway through the first-half, collecting a pass from Matheus Nunes before making space for himself and lashing the ball into the roof of the net from the right side.
It was an emphatic finish from the 20-year-old, who was hailed as ‘remarkable’ by Joleon Lescott’ after the game. He has shown himself to be another top young talent arriving off the conveyor belt at the Etihad Stadium.
Hamilton’s inclusion in the starting XI came as a fair surprise to many City fans – and the youngster himself has now told of his own shock when he found out he’d be playing.
Micah Hamilton speaks on the moment he found out he was starting for Manchester City against Red Star
Hamilton featured from the start as a right winger against Red Star, with the brilliant Oscar Bobb – who also scored in Belgrade – operating as a central striker.
Hamilton repaid Pep’s faith with a brilliant performance that was full of courage – he never gave the impression this was his first-ever appearance for the first-team.
The starlet certainly did not expect to be starting, even though City had already wrapped up the group.
He said (Guardian): “I walked into the meeting room [on Tuesday] and Pep was going through the team and he said my name on the right wing. I was in shock, with jelly legs. It was all mad. I couldn’t even sleep last night just taking everything in.
“I went on to the pitch and thought: ‘I need to play without fear.’ I eased into it in the first 10 minutes and then took my opportunity when it came. It was amazing. To do it for the best club in the world and the club I’ve been at since five is amazing.”
Hamilton should be so proud
These are some very wholesome comments from Hamilton, who clearly did not think for one second he’d be starting against Red Star.
But clearly, he’s been doing enough lately to earn the chance to make an impression – and he certainly did that.
Hamilton deserves huge credit for what he did on Wednesday night. Red Star’s Rajko Mitic Stadium is not an easy place to go, especially for young and inexperienced players.
But Hamilton was never overawed and did exactly what he set out to do – play without fear.
