Pep Guardiola's instant impact at Manchester City has impressed Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe 

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Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe is impressed by the impact that Pep Guardiola has had over Manchester City since joining in the summer. 

City have won their opening four league games of the season, including beating local rivals Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford, and the Cherries travel to the Eithad Stadium to face the Premier League leaders this weekend.

Speaking about the appointment of Guardiola, Howe said: 'I think they're an outstanding team. Individually I think they've got outstanding players and they've got a manager who, in my opinion, is right at the very top.

Pep Guardiola has won all four of his Premier League games as Manchester City manager

Eddie Howe is impressed with how Guardiola has impressed his style on the City side

'I think the biggest compliment I can give him is the impact he's had on that team so early - you can see when they play he's stamped his authority on that team.

'They've started the season incredibly well.

'When I watch them play, I enjoy it - and it's rare for me to say that when I watch an opponent play. They've been very impressive.'

Guardiola and Howe go head-to-head with each other this weekend in Manchester

Loan signing Jack Wilshere came on as a substitute in the Cherries' 1-0 win against West Brom last weekend, but Howe admits he is not going to rush the Arsenal midfielder straight into a full game.

The 24-year-old has suffered from a number of injuries since signing for Arsenal from the youth team in 2008, including breaking his fibula in pre-season training in 2015, and Howe believes playing for Bournemouth is going to help improve his fitness levels with more game time.

He said: 'We'd like to see him in the team as quickly as possible.

'It's a delicate balance between rushing him into the team and the long term. We have to think of that. 

Jack Wilshere, on loan from Arsenal, could make his first Bournemouth start this weekend

'We want him to play a lot of games for us so we'll put him in when we think it's right.

'I've been really pleased. I thought he had a big impact when he came on at a time in the game when the game was in the balance.

'We had lost the full control we had had in the first half and I thought he wrestled that back for us. It was a big contributing factor to us winning the game.'