07 February,2021 09:28 AM IST | London | Agencies
Manchester City`s Ruben Dias during a training session on Friday. Pic/Getty Images
Manchester City's dominant position at the top of the Premier League ahead of Sunday's trip to champions Liverpool has been built on the solid foundations of an impenetrable defence.
Pep Guardiola's men have conceded just two goals in their past 13 league games, winning nine in a row to open up a seven-point lead over fourth-placed Liverpool, with a game in hand. Liverpool took City's crown as champions last season, romping to a first league title in 30 years.
But the contrasting fortunes at centre-back for both clubs this season have helped City reassert their position as the team to beat in English football. After a humbling 5-2 home defeat by Leicester in their second game of the season, City splashed out £62 million ($85 million) on Ruben Dias from Benfica. In 27 games, the Portuguese international has been on the losing side just once and has kept 18 clean sheets, forming a formidable partnership with a revitalised John Stones.
So strong has that pairing been that Aymeric Laporte - the bedrock of the City defence that denied Liverpool the title by a point in the 2018-19 season - has largely been left in reserve along with another £40 million summer centre-back signing, Nathan Ake. "We knew the quality he had on the pitch, we knew a little bit his personality, but we have been impressed at the consistency to be ready mentally and physically to play every three days," said Guardiola on Dias's impact.
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