City are all set to give Fernandinho the ideal send off
CITY were the guests to Mark Noble’s farewell party on Sunday as the West Ham faithful celebrated the incredible career of one of their most loyal servants.
Despite both teams fighting tooth and nail, plenty of time and attention was dedicated to marking the 35-year-old’s exceptional career with the club on his final appearance in East London.
And, as Hammers boss David Moyes said afterwards, he went out in the right way by coming off the bench to help the team rather than for sentimental reasons.
Fernandinho toiled at centre-back in the London Stadium, yet still pulled off something few in the league could achieve by managing to nag away at Michail Antonio all game while barely giving away a foul never mind a free-kick.
While the Brazilian veteran is leaving at the end of the season because he wants more regular game time, he will go out on the high of having made a serious contribution to what all at the Etihad hope will be his fifth Premier League title.
From the moment he waived millions in loyalty payments at Shakhtar to push through his transfer in 2013, Fernandinho has been a fantastic servant of City as well as a tenacious and terrific footballer.
The snarling midfielder started off being legs for Yaya Toure before becoming the snarling bite at the base of the spine that redefined English football as the Blues reached 100 Premier League points under Pep Guardiola.
The City boss instantly recognised the aura that the player carries, but also the technical intelligence that has made him so versatile on the football pitch and convinces him that he can keep playing professionally until he is 40.
If the club captain was disappointed that his final year was petering out in terms of individual contributions, the injury crises across the backline has catapulted him back into the fore.
Fernandinho came on at rightback in the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid and has started the last two league games at centre-back – almost a third of his appearances this season (nine) have come in the last 10 games.
With John Stones, Kyle Walker and Ruben Dias all ruled out and with Nathan Ake still struggling for full fitness, it is more than likely Fernandinho’s role against Aston Villa on Sunday as City try to win the league will be far more than just ceremonial.
Thousands will be there to give him an amazing reception throughout as they say their latest farewell to a club great following the departures of Pablo Zabaleta, Toure, Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Sergio Aguero.
For a proud man who has given all he has to City, Fernandinho’s send-off will be all the sweeter knowing he can leave on a high having proven himself at the top level right up until the last whistle.
For all the words that can be said, trusting the 37-year-old to win another league title on the final day will say a lot about his enduring value to the club.