The biggest blow to Manchester City this season came in one of their largest wins. Aymeric Laporte was stretchered off August’s the 4-0 demolition of Brighton, booked for and injured in a challenge on Adam Webster.
He returned at Bramall Lane on Tuesday. “I am very happy to be back,” the Frenchman said. Not as happy, perhaps, as City were to see him. “We miss him a lot,” Pep Guardiola said. “He is an exceptional player.”
Laporte’s knee problem had ruled him out of 30 games in all competitions. During that time, City conceded 24 league goals, more than they let in during the whole of last season. Typically, Laporte returned with a clean sheet as City beat Sheffield United 1-0.
“When I got injured it was difficult to show my team-mates what I can do and now I can help the team,” he said. “I can try to give my best.”
Within a summer, City lost both of the defensive partnership who anchored the end of their Treble-winning campaign, following Vincent Kompany’s move to Anderlecht. Guardiola reacted to Laporte’s return by branding him the world’s finest left-sided centre-back.
“It is great to hear that from this manager,” said Laporte. “He is one of the best in the world, if not the best. I have to keep going to stay there.”
Guardiola sought to protect Laporte on his comeback, removing him with 12 minutes remaining and fielding him among three centre-backs to give him more cover around him.
There was nevertheless a nervous minute when Laporte lay on the ground, the victim of a challenge that earned United’s Muhamed Besic a yellow card.
“This game was difficult because they are strong and a good team,” said Laporte, but he nevertheless ended the evening unscathed. “I hope I will play more time.”
His comeback had been accelerated. The initial plan was to bring him back in Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Fulham.
Yet, with John Stones’ latest injury highlighting the reality this has been a stop-start season for City’s centre-backs, Laporte was parachuted in. “It was a risk but the doctors say he is fit,” said Guardiola.
Laporte added: “Normally it would have been later but I spoke with the manager and he told me that [I was playing]. I am very happy to be back as soon as possible and to have minutes earlier than I was promised.”
His next minutes may come in a Manchester derby. The probability now is that Laporte will sit out the Fulham tie and feature instead in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Oleksandr Zinchenko perhaps had more grounds than most to be glad of Laporte’s return. “He is an important player for us, everyone knows that, especially me,” said the Ukrainian. “I am so happy for him because I have seen probably most of the way he was coming back and the way how he was working hard on his recovery was amazing. He deserved it.”
As the left-back, and a converted midfielder thrust into the defence, Zinchenko benefited from the solidity the left-sided centre-back offers.
“He is a quality player and he can protect my back sometimes when I am jumping forward,” Zinchenko said. “He is still young for a centre-back and you should say he can still learn a lot but he is a player with experience and he played a lot of games and he knows this position very well.”
Guardiola believes Laporte makes City’s build-up both faster, with the fact he is left-footed opening up passing angles sooner, and better; the Frenchman has a pass completion rate over 92 percent in each of his Premier and Champions League campaigns with the club.
Zinchenko said: “With the ball he makes our game quicker, especially with the left foot with his first ball, his first pass.” Now the first test of Laporte’s comeback has been passed. There are more to come.