The loss of Manchester City’s defensive leader has been detrimental to City’s defence | OneFootball

As Manchester City threw away a 3-goal lead late in their UEFA Champions League fixture against Feyenoord, you could see that the world champions lacked leadership at the back. Rico Lewis and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey are quality players but are too young to assume such roles. Josko Gvardiol’s errors cost his team dearly as panic set in at the back for City. Manuel Akanji looked like he was stuck in quicksand during the game’s final stages. It was clear Manchester City missed Ruben Dias for such a moment. It’s become apparent that the loss of Manchester City’s defensive leader to injury has proved detrimental to City’s defence.

The loss of Manchester City’s defensive leader to a calf injury has stood out across Manchester City’s 6-game winless run. What Ruben Dias offers Pep Guardiola’s side can’t be replaced. Dias is one of the leaders of this Manchester City squad. His teammates, especially at the back walk taller with him on the pitch. To further illustrate this point Henry Winter reported on X that Dias has only played 45 minutes of City’s current winless run. That came during his team’s 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in their Carabao Cup fourth-round tie.

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Without Dias, other players have been tasked with leading Manchester City’s defence. But they haven’t been capable of filling the void left by Dias’ absence with a calf injury. Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and John Stones have all been battling their own injury concerns of late. That has harmed City’s defence. But none of the three mentioned offers the leadership that Dias does. Jahmai Simpson-Pusey has made his first-team debut recently, but he would’ve benefited from playing alongside Dias rather than without him. Last night was a prime example of this.

I don’t believe Manchester City’s defence would’ve collapsed so spectacularly against Feyenoord with Dias on the pitch. He is a calming presence and a leader. City have lacked leadership of late and the loss of Dias to injury further highlights this fact. It is still inexplicable that Pep Guardiola’s side threw away a three goal lead without Dias. That shouldn’t happen. There were enough experienced players on the pitch to deal with such a situation. But as Manchester City’s defence crumbled in the face of Feyenoord’s pressure you could see the effect of the loss of Manchester City’s defensive leader to injury had. Without him Manchester City are a weaker team and there is no escaping that fact based on recent evidence.

There is relief in sight as Ruben Dias was on the bench for last night’s match. He is on the comeback trail from a calf injury that has seen him miss Manchester City’s past 5 games. With Pep Guardiola’s side due to face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday there is hope that Dias can start Sunday’s pivotal fixture. Based on last night’s events he is needed on the pitch more than ever. Manchester City need their defensive leader and hopefully he can return to the pitch sooner rather than later.