Pep Guardiola praised Aleks Zinchenko for taking “an incredible step forward” in recent weeks for Manchester City.
The only outfield player at the Etihad to have worked his way into the squad after a loan spell, Zinchenko deputised at left-back in the 2017/18 season during an injury crisis and has continued to be used therefor his intermittent spells in the team. Having been made available for sale in two transfer windows, his commitment to the cause earned him a five-year deal – and the No.11 shirt – in the summer of 2019 but failed to capitalise on his position and could have left the club again in the most recent transfer window. City are undeniably more successful when the 24-year-old starts. He made Premier League history by winning his first 23 matches in the competition and managed 20 months before being on a losing side. Since making his first league start of this campaign at Chelsea on January 3, he has kept his place for three of the next four league matches and in nine starts in all competitions this season, City have won eight and drawn one.
To say Zinchenko arrived as a left-sided attacker, he has found a natural fit at City in defence and is still improving.
Pep Guardiola said: “I think he feels comfortable there. I know he would say he is an attacking midfielder but maybe he doesn’t have the speed in the 1v1 to play in his position and the sense of goal. For our buildup, he is fundamental, he understands the game perfectly. He knows how to play football and how to make decisions. He is playing at a good level, his consistency with the ball especially is what we need from him and always tactically even defensively he is so clever, so smart. He pays a lot of attention, he doesn’t make mistakes about what he has to do to help the central defenders and the other ones. he has made an incredible step forward in the last weeks and is playing in important games at Stamford Bridge and United. He’s playing at a high level.”
