Laporte: It’s been tough watching title slip away
AYMERIC Laporte has been forced to watch City’s Premier League crown slipping away from a seat in the stands for the past four months.
And that means the France defender has had a grandstand view of why the Blues have not been as good as they were last season, and have slipped to 13 points behind leaders Liverpool, who also have two games in hand.
Laporte returned from his cruciate ligament injury to help City to a 1-0 win – their first clean sheet for a month – and managed 75 minutes in that win at Sheffield United.
He is expected to be involved again on Sunday, when Fulham visit the Etihad Stadium for an FA Cup fourth round tie, and is then hoping he can be involved against United in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final next Wednesday.
Laporte’s absence has been pinpointed as a major reason for City’s leaky defence, and for their failure to keep pace with Liverpool – and his return is a boost ahead of the resumption of the Champions League, with a last 16 trip to Real Madrid on February 26.
But Laporte has had the frustrating task of having to sit through defeats by inferior teams, with City keeping just six clean sheets in 18 Premier League and Champions League games in his absence.
And he offered two reasons why the Blues have not quite been at the races in the league this season. “It’s been tough watching from the stands, but it’s never easy,” said the 25-year-old. “The last two years were very, very tough but this year other teams have improved, have made some transfers. “Others have improved, and they have studied us, too. It gets more difficult every year so we have to stay focussed, work a lot and concentrate, and be more like we have in the last two years, and try to win every single game.” Laporte’s inclusion against the
I spoke with the manager and he told me he wanted me to play
Aymeric Laporte
Blades was a surprise – he had been lined up to return against Fulham this weekend.
But with John Stones injured and manager Pep Guardiola keen to play three at the back, he was given the all-clear by the medical staff.
But Laporte admits that they have jumped the gun on the original return plan, saying: “Normally it would have been later but I tried, and I spoke with the manager and he told me he wanted me to play. I’m happy to back as soon as possible, and get some minutes earlier than expected.
“I don’t know if I’ll be ready for 90 against United – you’d have to ask the manager, but I will be there with the team. It’s for the manager to decide everything.”
Laporte returned with some powerful words of praise from Guardiola ringing in his ears.
The manager described Laporte as the ‘best centre back, left, in the world’ – meaning the best leftfooted centre back.
Laporte was abashed when told of the comment, and said: “You have to ask him, but it’s very good for me coming from a manager who is one of the best in the world, if not the best.
“I am very happy to hear it but I have to work to be this. I have to keep going to stay there.”