Tuesday 14 February 2017 10:59, UK
We examine Sergio Aguero's changing role at Manchester City, with the help of Monday Night Football pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville...
Sergio Aguero was benched by Pep Guardiola once again at Bournemouth on Monday but played a decisive role in Manchester City's second goal in their 2-0 win after replacing the injured Gabriel Jesus.
The Argentina international has had to get used to an unusual role on the fringes in recent weeks, and for the first time in his City career he started a third Premier League game in a row as a substitute.
It seems remarkable that a fully fit Aguero, who has the best goals-per-minute record in Premier League history, can't make the starting XI. After all, he scored 11 in his first six matches of 2016/17, and seemed to be thriving under Guardiola earlier this season.
But Jesus' arrival in January and stunning start to life in England - including his dramatic injury-time winner against Swansea last time out - has seen the 19-year-old win the manager's favour.
The reason isn't goal-scoring. Few are better at that than Aguero. Instead, Jesus provides the high-speed pressing from the front Guardiola desires. Combining with fellow young forwards Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling, Jesus is leading City's attack - and defence - from the front.
"Every interview Guardiola has given since Jesus came into the team, he has mentioned intensity," Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher told Monday Night Football.
Contrast Jesus' "intensity" with that of Aguero. Before facing Bournemouth, Jesus was covering, on average, 11.5km per 90 minutes. Aguero has never broken 10.3km. And when it comes to sprints, the Brazilian averages 14 more of those per game than his team-mate.
"A message is being sent to all strikers," said Carragher of Guardiola's philosophy. "No matter how many goals you have scored, if you do not give us certain things, you will not be in the team.
"And I fear for one of the greatest players we have seen in the Premier League, maybe the greatest goalscorer we have ever seen in the Premier League."
Quizzed on Aguero's future ahead of this fixture, Guardiola said he wanted the striker to stay at the club - but his comment that he "did not know" what would happen in the summer did little to stem suggestions the Argentine's future lies elsewhere.
Just 15 minutes into Monday's contest, though, and Aguero was thrown back into the limelight, after Jesus limped off with an apparent foot problem.
There were understandable signs of rustiness. Aguero sent a volley over the bar from a good position and struggled to retain possession when the ball was played up to him. "I lose count of the amount of times it is breaking down on Aguero," said Sky Sports' Niall Quinn on co-commentary. "When they knock it into him and there's bodies around him, it's not sticking."
But Aguero's instinct for being in the right place at the right time remains as sharp as ever - and helped City grab the important second goal to wrap up the win.
His dart to the near-post to meet Raheem Sterling's centre was perfectly timed and, although his flick went in off Tyrone Mings - and goes down as an own goal - it was a reminder of his threat.
"He played good," said Guardiola afterwards. "He fought, he scored a goal for his confidence, and I'm so happy for him."
Asked about Aguero's importance, Guardiola pointed out he needs options to challenge on all fronts. "When you play in a big team, with a lot of competitions, like cups, Champions League, we need the players."
And that seems to be where Aguero stands right now. No longer the star man. No longer the first name on the team sheet. But an asset. A talented option. An alternative to Pep's primary plan.
"Guardiola is transitioning the team with a new spine; more fresh, more mobility, youth," Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville told Monday Night Football.
"So I do not think we can sit here now and say it is the wrong decision, and as we have seen before with Guardiola at Barcelona, when he brought Zlatan Ibrahimovic in in his first year, he scored a bag of goals and won the league.
"But he did not fit the style, so he is willing to make these big decisions and he has made these big calls before."
Few managers would be willing to sideline such a proven prolific goal-scorer. But Guardiola is re-shaping City. And only time will tell whether the move will pay off in the long run.
