Gabriel Jesus says Pep Guardiola was right to drop him from penalty duties – and insists Ederson is a genuine contender to replace him.

Guardiola has reviewed Manchester City’s spot kick takers – fearing their wastefulness could cost them the chance of winning the Champions League this season.

Jesus has been taken out of consideration after missing three of his last five in the Premier League.

And despite being brought down in the box in the City’s 4-0 win against Fulham, he had to hand over duties to Ilkay Gundogan – who fired the Premier League champions ahead.

Jesus still scored twice – but it meant he missed out on a potential hat-trick in the FA Cup fourth round tie.

“I’ll always be honest with you,” he said. “In the training sessions I take them and I score more than I miss.

“If I take five I miss one and sometimes I don’t miss. In games it’s been different.

“I’ve taken three this season - two here and one with the national team Brazil - and I missed all three. When you miss three in a row you go to the next one under pressure to score. So that’s the challenge.

“I have in my mind that I have to train more and improve more of course.

“Normally the manager puts on the paper in the dressing room before the game who are the penalty takers. Last game I was the penalty taker and here normally I am the taker, but today it’s Gundo.

“That’s football. Sometimes you have to stop, improve and come back strong.”

Guardiola claims Ederson is City’s deadliest from 12 yards – and Jesus is certain the goalkeeper could do the job.

“Ederson is a very cool guy,” he said. “It’s true he doesn’t have blood (in his veins).

“If the manager said to him take them, I think he’s going to score.”