Suspended Lap ‘doesn’t care’ who plays at the back
AYMERIC Laporte insists he is not concerned if John Stones and Ruben Dias start ahead of him after partnering both in the last week.
Laporte, sent off in the defeat against Crystal Palace, kept his place for the Champions League win over Club Brugge in order to give Dias a rest ahead of the United clash this weekend.
Laporte will miss that game through suspension, with Stones in line to replace him for a third centreback pairing in as many games.
The Spaniard put a poor performance against Palace behind him in a rare start alongside Stones, and he praised City’s defending in the Champions League win.
He told BT Sport: “It’s been tough, very happy with the result, which was the most important thing.
“It’s always difficult in the
Champions League, the teams are very good and they were a good team. They give us difficulties to defend. We play better than them and do a good game.”
Regarding the competition at centre-back, Laporte then made the surprising comment that he ‘doesn’t care’ who plays at centre-back, despite a frustrating season last term when Stones and Dias formed an unbreakable partnership.
“I’m very happy to play with John, we know each other a long time,” he said, insisting the competition boosts City’s chances of success.
“I’m happy to play together because there are not many times to play him and me in the same game.
“We have to adapt, who plays will do his best and our level all three is so good.
“We don’t care who plays, we are good and we can do, as we can learn from the past, a very good season. Happy today for the win.”