Pep Guardiola praised certainly one of his makeshift defenders as Manchester Metropolis drew with Manchester United – however they’re feedback that learn notably damingly.
Absolutely the final derby was sufficient to point out that Matheus Nunes is just not a full-back, when he hand-wrapped two targets for Manchester United in harm time.
But in a season the place Manchester Metropolis defenders have dropped like flies, Nunes has been a mandatory right-back possibility regardless that he retains providing proof that he’s not an excellent right-back.
So with United certain to focus on him, Pep Guardiola had a plan on Sunday. Nunes would push up excessive on the correct as a touchline-hugging wing-back. Bernardo Silva would drop in from midfield and the pair would hold Alejandro Garnacho quiet.
Barring the first-minute run from Garnacho that tempted a yellow card from Ruben Dias, the system typically labored – helped by a weak United assault and loads of inoffensive Metropolis possession.
However credit score the place it’s due, Nunes did okay and Guardiola went out of his manner at full-time to double-back on himself en-route to the dressing room and provide a hug to his out-of-position midfielder.
After which he may nicely have killed Nunes’ Metropolis prospects in his press convention.
“He can develop into a superb right-back for the physicality,” he mentioned, following reward with feedback he’ll battle to come back again from: “I believe he is not a participant to play within the center as a result of he is not intelligent sufficient, in composure.”
If Guardiola means the center of defence, that is smart as a result of Nunes at centre-back could be as disastrous because it sounds. If he means in the course of midfield it could convey again recollections of when he informed Kalvin Phillips that he was not suited to taking part in ready the place there are issues occurring behind him so pushed him again into defence?
The Nunes ‘reward’ instantly drew comparisons and Guardiola continued: “He has unimaginable expertise and he is studying rather a lot; full-backs at all times have an enormous mistake when a cross to the far-post the place you might be, at all times they’re sleeping. And he defended very well two or three crosses from Bruno Fernandes, [Patrick] Dorgu. He has physicality to do it, he can play that place and he is helped rather a lot.”
Guardiola is correct that Nunes performed nicely at Previous Trafford – one again submit header stood out to save lots of a sure objective – however the supervisor modified his system to maintain Nunes from defending one-on-one towards Garnacho. It is usually vital to say he has performed nicely sufficient out of place in a really troublesome season.
Guardiola’s determination at right-back between Nunes and Rico Lewis comes right down to physicality or versatility: Nunes has began extra video games there for the reason that final derby however even when he is impressed he is nonetheless blatantly not a full-back.
“After we began the season and I inform we’ll play Matheus at right-back, Nico [O’Reilly] left-back, you’d inform me, ‘What are you speaking about?’,” he mentioned.
And for those who inform him that Metropolis will begin subsequent season with Nunes as certainly one of his solely two right-back choices he could have an identical response. If Nunes is just not a midfielder – and Guardiola may need simply bolted that door shut – and he is not a right-back because the derby ways urged, then what’s he?
Phillips left on mortgage quickly after Guardiola’s summer time feedback and is about to get relegated from his most popular place. Nunes is in peril of falling into an identical class of failed switch.
Metropolis should prioritise a right-back in summer time, and if Nunes cannot play within the place they signed him for, he may need to be moved on.
