Full-back CAN start to offer attacking flair

PORTUGUESE SERVES NOTICE OF ABILITY TO GET FORWARD

SINCE the start of December, City have rediscovered their attacking mojo.

In the past 12 games they’ve plundered 37 goals and while that average of just over three a game wasn’t enough to avoid defeats to United and Wolves, it has signalled a welcome return to seeing the Blues at their blistering best in attack.

For a while this season Pep Guardiola has tinkered with his set-up to try and add more ballast to a defence struggling after the departure of Vincent Kompany and the injury to Aymeric Laporte.

But the best form of defence is often attack and that is what the Blues have reverted to recently.

The lack of clean sheets will remain a concern, with just two in the last 19 games in all competitions, but City should back themselves to outscore the opposition on a regular basis.

The glut of goals recently has seen Kevin de Bruyne at this best, while Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva are both rediscovering their best form.

The way Rodri has found his feet in defensive midfield has also freed up the Blues’ more attacking midfielders to roam forward.

A team such as City is always on the lookout for new ways to hurt the opposition, however and while it was a mere footnote to the 6-1 demolition of Aston Villa at the weekend, Joao Cancelo finally served notice of his own attacking instincts in the Midlands.

Cancelo regularly looked to link-up with Mahrez down City’s righthand side, going round the outside when the Algerian came infield but also showing a willingness to make central runs himself, breaking into the penalty area in dangerous positions on a couple of occasions.

The Portuguese full-back has always had plenty of attacking ability in his game, although it’s rarely been seen to its full potential at the Etihad.

In truth, Cancelo is yet to show the best of himself in a City shirt, which is why he has been linked with loan moves to Bayern Munich and Valencia in this transfer window.

Guardiola has been asked about those rumours and while insisting the 25-year-old was signed for the long-term, he’s never quite given the impression that a move is out of the question.

“Joao is adapting and he has a special quality and he can help us in many, many games,” the City boss said at the end of December. “The rumours are rumours, they what they are, until the agents call or we call, I don’t take any interest about that. “This player we bought him for many years, not for six months, but what happens happens.

“As I said, I don’t know what will happen in a few weeks and the players and in the summer we will discuss. If a player wants to leave, it’s simple, the agent has to call to the club, arrive at an agreement,

Pep Guardiola on Joao Cancelo