Lap’s return puts players in their place at the back

PEP Guardiola indicated that City will not usually play five at the back after their win over Sheffield United.

Asked about their shape at Bramall Lane, the manager went into a detailed discussion about how it had been specifically tailored to try and stop the way Chris Wilder and his team with overlapping defenders attack.

However, he also suggested that Aymeric Laporte’s return was in part behind the decision to play five at the back. Guardiola had previously compared Sheffield United to Aston Villa, where the Blues lined up with four at the back a few weeks ago.

With the star defender declaring himself ready to start his first game in five months, City’s coach joked that he had told him he would play with seven defenders to help him out – but did opt for five.

“He was protected with Aleks [Zinchenko] and Nico [Otamendi] and Fernandinho close to him, there was less space to defend and he did it really well,” he said.

The plan may well have been specific for Sheffield United but the feeling that a four-man defence has struggled to be solid and the need to protect Laporte were also considered.

Given the French defender is still building up his match rhythm, and the success the Blues have had with five at the back – Tuesday was their first clean sheet since the last time they played Sheffield United – it is a credible option moving forward even if not the preferred set-up.

Laporte playing should also make life easier on the other defenders. That job on the left side responsible for building play is one that Guardiola has specific demands for, and nobody can quite fill it in the same way.

Be it four or five at the back, Laporte’s presence as the leftsided player should improve the players to the right of him automatically simply by having them in a more natural position.

And that will mean one more round hole filled by a round peg in a season that has seen too many square ones.

As much as Laporte brings to the team through his qualities on the ball and his authority, simply having him there means two more players in their correct positions.

That ultimately is more important than how many players City line-up with at the back.