Fernandinho’s defensive masterclass in Manchester City's Carabao Cup win against Manchester United underlines his ongoing importance to Pep Guardiola, writes Adam Bate from Old Trafford.
Wednesday 8 January 2020 14:46, UK
Pep Guardiola afforded himself some trademark sarcasm when asked about Fernandinho after Manchester City’s emphatic derby win over Manchester United on Tuesday evening.
"He has to play central midfielder," he said of the veteran Brazilian, who again lined up at centre-back. "It is a big mistake by the manager. He has to play holding midfielder."
Guardiola was entitled to be a little smug. He had just seen Fernandinho contain Manchester United's formidable counter-attack to put City on the brink of another Wembley final where they will be favourites to make it a hat-trick of League Cup wins.
At the age of 34, it took all his nous.
In the eighth minute, he stepped across to intercept at the near post and snuff out a dangerous United counter-attack. In the tenth minute, he had to get his tackle right on Rashford when inside the box and he just got enough of the ball. Two minutes after that he stretched out a leg to deny the striker another opportunity.
It was a daunting start but Fernandinho found his way through it.
"It is not easy for a player who is playing all their career as a No 8 or a holding midfielder to play against Rashford, against these fast players, but he is so intelligent," said Guardiola.
"He is playing incredibly well, going backwards and reading the situations."
No Manchester City player regained possession of the ball more times than Fernandinho. Nobody on the pitch put in more tackles. He handled every aspect of the defensive side of the game and his distribution - starting with a raking pass out to Raheem Sterling in the very first minute - was as impeccable as ever. What a performance this was.
David Silva inherited the City captaincy following Vincent Kompany's exit but while there are players who have been at the club longer than Fernandinho, none are more important within the dressing room now.
At Old Trafford, in Silva's absence, he even had the armband.
"He is our leader," said Guardiola. "He is an incredible leader for our team."
I will never forget what this guy has done for all of us or for me personally as a manager.
He added: "I have said many times, I will never forget what this guy has done for all of us or for me personally as a manager in this period we are together. It is impossible to forget because he played right-back, no complaints. He played left-back, no complaints. He has played I don't know how many positions but always at an incredibly high level."
Fernandinho's flexibility has been essential this season. City went into the campaign looking a little short of numbers at centre-back and this weakness was exposed following Aymeric Laporte's injury in August. But the subsequent problems have invariably been caused either by Fernandinho's defensive partner or his own absence from midfield.
Solutions at the back are imminent.
"Fortunately, Nico is back, John Stones is back, and I think Aymeric Laporte is coming back soon," said Guardiola. "So that is going to help us to be able to rotate a little bit."
He already took the opportunity to sit Fernandinho out of City's FA Cup third-round tie at the weekend.
"Against Port Vale it was nice to give him some freshness," Guardiola explained. "We were lucky to be able to give him one week's rest because he has played a lot of minutes."
City can cope without Fernandinho for one game against League Two opposition but they will be in no rush to face life without him on a permanent basis. His contract is up in the summer but it was revealed after the win at Old Trafford that he has almost fulfilled certain criteria that would cause an automatic extension of that deal.
Not that there is any appetite for either party to end the union anyway. As was evident against United, he is still needed. In fact, Fernandinho is arguably more important to Manchester City than ever before.
