RUBEN IS MY MAN DIJK UNDROPPABLE RUBEN FOR CITY

City boss admits his £62m defender has proved a brilliant signing in the heart of his backline and is simply

PEP GUARDIOLA says he cannot do without Ruben Dias and hailed the defender as one of his best signings.

Dias joined Manchester City from Benfica in September for a club record £62million and has become as important to them as Virgil van Djik is to Liverpool.

Since making his debut at Leeds on October 3, he has started every Premier League game, with City conceding just seven goals in 18 matches on their march to the top of the table.

Dias has been an ever-present, underlining his importance to their title bid, with Guardiola admitting he cannot afford to rest him.

The Portugal centre-back has been compared to legendary former City skipper Vincent Kompany in terms of his influence

Asked if the 23-year-old was one of his best signings, Guardiola replied: “Yeah, absolutely. So far, how he’s settled immediately, in terms of his mentality, and he’s a guy who lives 24 hours for his profession.

“Every step he does, at home, on or off the pitch, eating, sleeping, recovery time, preparation time, everything is to be perfect during this 95-minute football game. That’s why. “It depends on him to maintain that and hopefully we can help him to grow. We’re more than satisfied.” And giving him a break would be impossible at the moment. “He’s not just a player who plays good, he’s a player who makes the other guys play good, too,” added Guardiola. “He’s 90 minutes

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Passing accuracy talking, 90 minutes communicating, 90 minutes saying what they have to do in every single action.

“When that happens, it’s difficult for me and he’s undroppable.”

City will be looking to make it nine wins in a row in the league and stretch their unbeaten run to 20 games in all competitions tonight when they travel to Burnley.

But after Burnley’s shock win at Liverpool and Sheffield United’s equally surprising victory at Manchester United, Guardiola warned his players they cannot take anything for granted.

“A team like Sheffield United, with eight points so far, it’s so few,” he said. “But they were able to win at Old Trafford and create incredible problems for us.

“That’s why the Premier League is so special. If you’re not focused completely on Sheffield United and thinking you’re different or better or underestimate the opponents, you don’t beat Sheffield United.

“That’s why, every time we think about a game, it’s the next one. We take it seriously and demand the players do the best they can do.”

Guardiola said star striker Sergio Aguero was still recovering after Covid-19 and it will be “a few weeks” before he is ready to play again.

DAVID MCDONNELL PERFECT FOR PEP Ruben Dias (tackling Mo Salah, right) has won his manager over