Aymeric Laporte can be Man City’s key defender against rugged opposition
For all of Manchester City’s incredible performances this season, it’s always felt like one direct attack involving a burly centre-forward could easily unhinge their defence and result in the softest of goals. Perhaps that’s doing Nicolas Otamendi, Vincent Kompany and John Stones something of a disservice, but it’s telling that Stoke, West Brom, Brighton, Huddersfield, Southampton, West Ham, Burnley and Newcastle have all managed to score past them at least once this season.
Indeed, Pep Guardiola’s side isn’t so naturally equipped for the physical intensity of English football, even if they’ve shown they can overcome it with pure quality and expansiveness this season, and it perhaps remains an area City will need to improve upon next term if they’re to pull off the Premier League’s first successful title defence since 2008/09.
The solution though, is arguably already at the club in the form of January arrival Aymeric Laporte. Brighton represent amongst the most rugged opposition they could face in the Premier League at this moment in time and although City couldn’t hold onto a clean sheet upon hosting them at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, the young Frenchman clearly appeared to relish the physical battle with powerful striker Leonardo Ulloa.
In fact, Ulloa was the only player on the pitch to beat Laporte’s return of seven successful aerial duels, while he also weighed in with two tackles, two interceptions and four clearances. The real positive however, is how the 23-year-old combined that physically aggressive approach with the kind of football Guardiola expects from all his players, even those at the heart of defence. Laporte completed 92% of his passes, making 100 in total.
Guardiola appears happy with his centre-back options, with four of varying qualities to choose from. But having successfully battled with Swansea, West Ham and Brighton during his last three outings, Laporte is quickly emerging as City’s go-to centre-back when they face an attritional calibre of opposition.
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