France give Pep a hand by ignoring Laporte

IF any Manchester City fan had been asked in the summer to name the first player on Pep Guardiola’s teamsheet, few would have said Aymeric Laporte.

Yet three months into the season and no City player has made more starts than Laporte (above).

He has played every minute of their unbeaten start in their Premier League title defence – and quietly established himself as the new cornerstone of their defence in succession to Vincent Kompany.

Those are pretty big shoes to fill, given how hugely successful

Kompany has been during his decade at the Etihad.

But Laporte fits them nicely and is worth every penny of the then club record £57million City paid Athletic Bilbao for him in January.

Despite all this, France boss Didier Deschamps continues to ignore him.

Any other national coach would love to call on a player of his quality.

Yet this international snub helps explain his success for City.

Guardiola knows he can play him in every big game because he can rest up during the international break.

Laporte will have a breather after Sunday’s Manchester derby before he gears up for the next hectic phase of City’s campaign.

It’s easy to see why Guardiola was prepared to be patient in his pursuit of Laporte after the Frenchman snubbed him when he took over at City in July 2016. Guardiola knew then Laporte could be the cultured, ball-playing centre-half he wanted.

Guardiola also puts great store in having a left-footer on that side of his defence, knowing it maintains City’s tempo because he does not have to adjust position to play the ball.

Wearing pink boots, Laporte quickly settled into City’s passing rhythm last night and sprayed one wonderful diagonal ball out to Riyad Mahrez.

Standing 6ft 3in and weighing in over 13-and-a-half stone, he looks like he could take on Tony Bellew.

He can be physical when needed but is also quick and must rival Virgil van Dijk as the Premier League’s most complete centre-half.