Update: |Josko Gvardiol takes over Rodri role but two defenders show Man City red flags News

Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol will likely be unopposed as the most used player by Pep Guardiola this season

The final minute of the Manchester derby was as inconsequential as the 95 that has gone before it, yet it represented a significant milestone for one player. Josko Gvardiol saw through the closing seconds in what was his 4,000th minute for Manchester City this season.

That is already about 150 more than he managed in the whole of last season, and is 250 clear of any of his teammates this season. With the closest being Erling Haaland, who is injured for most of the remaining games, it seems safe to say that nobody will be used more than Gvardiol this time barring an unfortunate injury for him.

There’s nothing wrong with that on the surface. Signed in 2023 as the second most expensive centre-back of all time, Gvardiol should be one of the most used players.

He has had a few low moments this season but as well as being more available than any other player, he has also been solid in plenty of games. In a low-quality contest for City’s best player of this campaign, Gvardiol is the safest bet.

The man dubbed the Crossword King by Scott Carson after he recently discovered a love for the puzzles will now become the minutes king as well, knocking Rodri off the top spot that he has occupied for the last two seasons. And that is where you start to see some problems.

Six outfield players were used more than Gvardiol last season, so it isn’t just Rodri who has been missed. Last season’s top five of Rodri, Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias and Manu Akanji have been nowhere near their levels this year and are 23rd, 5th, 15th, 9th and 8th respectively for minutes this season.

Of those that have replaced them, Haaland has probably been second best in terms of quality to Gvardiol but for Bernardo Silva to be the third-most used player will not escape grumbles from supporters. It also says a lot that Rico Lewis is still fourth despite starting just five of the last 19 games.

Foden rounds off the top five and just behind him is Ilkay Gundogan, who nobody could have ever expected to play as much as he did on his return after a year in Barcelona.

Put simply, the most City minutes this season have not really been going to players that have been able to carry on the strong level from previous years. That might be obvious, but the leaderboard changes for minutes are a stark illustration of that.

As Hugo Viana weighs up what to do with his squad this summer, he cannot be thrilled to see that Nathan Ake and John Stones have both played fewer minutes than Walker this season despite the former captain having left for AC Milan in January.

Gvardiol will undoubtedly be a big part of the future and Rodri will on return from injury, but behind them it has not been less certain under Guardiola since his very first year in charge.

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