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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
As quoted by The Manchester Evening News, Fernandinho has raised a worrying concern about having to play at centre-back for Manchester City.
What did he say?
The Brazil international has been used as a make-shift centre-back in recent weeks following the long-term injury suffered by Aymeric Laporte.
The veteran midfielder shone in his unfamiliar position against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League last week, before helping keep a second consecutive clean sheet in the 8-0 thrashing of Watford in the Premier League.
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However, Fernandinho has insisted tougher tests lay ahead, and questioned whether he would be up to the task when opposition teams take the game to City.
He said: “I’m still in an adaptation process. It’s something new for me although I have known since the end of last season that playing as a centre back was a possibility.
“I’ve started training it from the beginning of this season so it’s still new, but I’m trying to learn from that experience. The way we play makes it a bit easier because we keep the ball with us most minutes. Against Shakhtar, they barely attacked behind our four-man defensive line and kept the ball mostly around the halfway line.
“But when an opponent attacks more through crosses or behind-the-line runs let’s see how I’m going to perform. I’m here to help so that’s fine. As for the future, we will see what happens. It’s better to think about now.”
Ominous
When City dominate teams – a quite regular occurrence – Fernandinho’s presence at centre-back is perhaps not as damaging to Pep Guardiola’s side. There can even be an argument that his qualities with the ball at his feet may be an advantage to the Citizens.
But when the Etihad outfit next come up against a so-called ‘big team’, it really will be fascinating to see whether the Brazilian can cope with the greater defensive demands. City’s next test against one of the Premier League’s ‘big six’ comes when they take on Liverpool at Anfield on November 10 – a potentially title-defining clash.
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Coming up against the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino will truly establish whether Fernandinho is capable of making this transition into a bona-fide centre-back.