Manchester City are currently one of three teams who are unbeaten in the Premier League following a near perfect start to this campaign. The Citizens are sitting at the top of the league table with a superior goal difference which separates them from Chelsea and Liverpool. One of the main reasons for their recent success across all competitions has been the strong defensive partnership between John Stones and Aymeric Laporte.
Otamendi’s Fall From Grace
The City center-back duo were simply exceptional at Anfield against Liverpool last weekend as they were successful in stopping the Reds from scoring in front of their home crowd. Vincent Kompany has filled in as Pep Guardiola’s third-choice center-back while Nicolas Otamendi, who was a regular in City’s first-team last season, has fallen down the pecking order and is currently fourth in line to play under Guardiola.
The Argentine center-back has been subjected to limited game time, this season, and the incredible form of Stones and Laporte of late has kept him out of Guardiola’s starting XI. The 30-year-old has just made 6 appearances for Man City this term across all competitions but has failed to leave his mark in the club’s first-team.
What Does The Argentine Bring To The City Backline?
Otamendi is vastly experienced and knows what it takes to win. The Argentine has shown in previous campaigns that he can be a leader at the back and is well capable of putting in some solid performances under pressure so that his team can be successful.
He is a good reader of the game but has an occasional mistake in him which is maybe why Guardiola has decided to use him as a sporadic option from the bench.
Does Otamendi Have A Future At The Etihad Stadium?
However, now that Otamendi has fallen down the pecking order and is hardly featuring for City, maybe it’s time for him to consider his options if things don’t improve soon. The fact that he has just played in 6 matches so far would be a cause for concern, especially for a 30-year-old defender. If he fails to get back into the first-team, then the end might be nigh for the Argentine veteran’s future at the Etihad Stadium.
