After Manchester City succumbed to a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace, Janusz Michallik questioned why Pep Guardiola is persisting with Nathan Ake at centre-back.
The pundit analysed Ake’s involvement in the first goal, as he failed to cut out Schlupp’s pass into Mateta’s path while speaking to ESPN UK after the contest.
Janusz Michallik questions why Pep Guardiola is playing Nathan Ake as a centre-back after Manchester City drew to Crystal Palace
In Manchester City’s two previous fixtures in the Premier League, the £41 million (Sky Sports) man has been playing as a centre-half alongside Ruben Dias.
Josko Gvardiol has been operating as a left-back, with Kyle Walker playing his usual right-back role and John Stones potentially rested in both games due to recently recovering from injury.
But as Manchester City suffered a collapse against Crystal Palace in the dying embers of the clash, Janusz Michallik questioned why Pep Guardiola was playing Nathan Ake as a centre-back.
“He continued to play Nathan Ake centrally, I don’t understand why. You saw on that goal, they allowed the player [Jean-Philippe Mateta] to get in front of him”, he said on ESPN UK.
Nathan Ake is a brilliant central defender
If Janusz Michallik felt that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola should have played Nathan Ake as a left-back against Crystal Palace, his point would have made more sense.
Against Luton Town and especially since last season, the Dutch international has proven that he is a terrific defender.
Despite playing as a left-back last season, at least in possession, the 28-year-old largely played as a left-sided centre-back in a back three.
Any and every time the former Chelsea defender was called into action, it seemed virtually guaranteed that he would come out on top in his individual battle and make life easy for Ederson Moraes in between the sticks.
While Nathan Ake could have perhaps done better for Jean-Philippe Mateta’s goal, it would be disingenuous to even suggest that he is a misfit in his natural position in the centre of defence.
