Scott dubbed 'top, top talent' by England star Grealish

Guernsey’s own England age-group international had just demonstrated his talent to a sell-out Ashton Gate crowd of over 25,000, as well as a national audience live on ITV1, with an eye-catching display in midfield for Bristol City in their FA Cup fifth-round tie against Manchester City.

Although two goals from Phil Foden and one from Kevin De Bruyne saw the Premier League champions progress, the 19-year-old Sarnian took the positives from having gone toe-to-toe with Pep Guardiola’s superstars.

‘Just a special, special evening playing against, in my opinion, the best team in the world,’ Scott told the Guernsey Press.

‘I think they’ve proven that for the past four or five years, so again playing against some of my idols growing up, I’ve been watching them for the past few years and that’s the level really.

'Just playing there and seeing it in the flesh, it’s something different.

‘It was a good game. We had some chances as well where maybe if we took a few of them it could have been something different, but of course we’re happy to play a team like that and test ourselves.’

• Podcast: Hear a full interview with Alex Scott on this week's Guernsey Press Football Podcast

Player-of-the-match Foden admitted afterwards that it had felt a lot closer than a 3-0 game and the Robins, who had gone into the match unbeaten in 2023, impressed particularly in the first half after falling behind to his seventh-minute goal.

Scott was at the heart of much of the home side’s attacking threat in that period, with his performance lauded at half-time by renowned pundits such as Roy Keane, who said: ‘He has been excellent ... he glides past people, he’s got quality’.

Although he saw less of the ball after the interval as the visitors secured safe passage into the quarter-finals, Scott had done enough to show that ‘he could have a fantastic career’, according to Keane.

• Watch: Alex Scott on playing some of his Man City 'idols' on Tuesday night

Guardiola was later quoted as having described Scott as ‘a young, young talent’.

Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson was pleased with the way his young side caused Manchester City problems and were ‘true to ourselves’.

In response to a direct question about Scott, who has been linked with a big money move to the Premier League with Newcastle United the latest club rumoured to be in pursuit, Pearson added: ‘He’s a very mature young man who’s got lots of ability, a good football brain too, but he is part of a side who have developed a style that suits the squad we have.’

Chief football writer at the Times Henry Winter also praised the Guernsey midfielder and referenced his lower league experience too.

‘What a talent Alex Scott is. I covered him in the Eng U19s Euro triumph last summer and he’s even better now, flourishing at Ashton Gate and totally fearless against MCFC. Ex-Isthmian League. Destined for the Premier League,’ Winter tweeted.

In his post-match verdict piece, Bristol Live reporter Richard Forrester said that all Robins fans already knew how talented Scott is and his display showed that he is destined for the Premier League.

‘It’s becoming clearer by the game that Scott is outgrowing the Championship,’ he wrote.

Bristol City return to Championship action on Saturday when they travel to Cardiff City.