Laporte looks indispensable

– Aymeric Laporte (above) may still be trying to win the confidence of France coach Didier Deschamps, but as Manchester City travel to Laporte’s homeland to face Lyon tonight, Pep Guardiola’s trust in the centre-back is indisputable.

Signed for a then club record £57 million in January, there was scepticism as to whether City needed to splash out once more for a centreback after investing more than £80 million in John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi and the return to fitness of captain Vincent Kompany.

On his arrival from Athletic Bilbao, Laporte took time to settle in his new surroundings with all three of his Champions League outings last season ending in defeat.

However, having had a full summer under Guardiola in pre-season as he missed out on Deschamps’ World Cup-winning squad, Laporte has become the stalwart of a defence that has conceded just eight goals in 19 games.

In an incredibly deep squad with choices aplenty for Guardiola, the 24-year-old is the only outfield player to have played every single minute of Champions League and Premier League action.

Three international breaks in the past three months have given Laporte the rest and recovery time he needs while many of his team-mates have been putting tired bodies on the line after the World Cup in the Nations League.

Only Chelsea’s Jorginho, another one-time City target, has completed more passes in the Premier League this season and Laporte also has the third most touches in the league. –

London