May the fourth be with Stones as he underlines his versatility to Guardiola
Aguero Mahrez B Silva Sane
VINCENT KOMPANY believes John Stones can only benefit from being moved around Manchester City’s starstudded team.
England international Stones was deployed as a right-back against Burnley – his fourth different position of the season after appearances as a holding midfielder, in the middle of a back three and on the right of a central pair in a back four.
With Kyle Walker and Danilo likely to be missing the trip to Ukraine, Stones is likely to stay at right-back for City’s crucial Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk tomorrow.
A decade ago Kompany started his City career as a defensive midfielder before moving into the back four and says a versatile, multifunctional player is key in Pep Guardiola’s football philosophy.
As well as moving Stones around, the City boss has played midfielders Fabian Delph and Oleksandr Zinchenko as left-backs, centre-back Aymeric Laporte as a left-back and midfielder Fernandinho in the back four.
“It definitely helps you and I think it’s more a requirement for the modern player,” said Kompany.
“With managers changing formations all the time, you need to have players who have flexibility – and John epitomises that.
“John’s an intelligent player with so much ability on the ball. I’ve seen him improve in the last few years, I’m really pleased to see how he’s developing and he’s a top, top centre-half. But he’s an even better one in the making. It’s exciting.
“Aymeric as well. If you have youth on your side, it’s easier to see a player shift positions. I’d have been able to do it when I signed here but with age you get more locked to a natural position.
“The manager has so many tools at his disposal it is frightening.”
City certainly had too many tools for Burnley as, for the 15th time in all competitions during Pep Guardiola’s spell as a manager, they hit five goals or more with the strikes being shared by Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Riyad Mahrez – some redemption for his Anfield penalty-miss – and Leroy Sane.
It might have been different, though, if Kompany had been redcarded for his reckless, studs-up first-minute challenge that left Aaron Lennon needed a couple of stitches in his thigh.
Clarets boss Sean Dyche felt referee Jon Moss decided on a caution simply because it was so early in the game while Kompany looked a bit sheepish as he pleaded his innocence.
“It certainly wasn’t on purpose,” he said. “It’s happening a bit blindside. I think I got my studs on his leg. But think the I got I ball.” That incident wasn’t Burnley’s only grievance. They felt the ball was out of play when David Silva crossed for namesake Bernardo t o hammer home the crucial second goal which opened the floodgates, although they should have played to the whistle. And they not only felt Sane had taken a dive in an attempt to win a penalty seconds before that goal but also felt the German should have been sent off late in the game for a petulant and un-necessary swipe at a furious Matt Lowton.
All in all it wasn’t the return former City stalwart Joe Hart was hoping for even though he couldn’t be faulted for any of the goals and made several fine saves to keep the scoreline down.
City tried to soften the blow by presenting Hart with a mosaic and a lifetime season ticket afterwards but the former England No.1 said: “There is a feeling of frustration. The crowd reaction was nice but I came here as a Burnley player and it was far from a perfect day. “The linesman apologised for switching off for the second goal but that is huge. I appreciate the human side but he apologised so he must be clear it went out. It is hard to take.”