Man City’s Joao Cancelo solution can be weapon to beat Manchester United

In 16 meetings with Manchester United, Pep Guardiola has used eight different options at left-back.

Aleks Zinchenko has been the chosen man for the last two derbies, while Guardiola has also used Joao Cancelo, Benjamin Mendy, Angelino, Fabian Delph, Gael Clichy, Aleksandr Kolarov — and a back three to try and counter United’s forward line.

Going into Saturday’s derby, however, there is no doubt over who will be playing at left-back for Manchester City.

In Cancelo, they have a solid, reliable, creative left-back for the first time under Guardiola, and a settled defence that will pick itself at Old Trafford.

Cancelo has faced United six times since joining City, but only one of those appearances has been at left-back — the 0-0 draw last season — with Guardiola instead preferring him on the right or as an inverted full-back.

He was even on the left of a back three in 2020, for the Carabao Cup second leg where the objective was to hold onto a 3-1 lead rather than extend it.

This week, Cancelo stole the spotlight with three eye-catching assists in the Champions League, taking his tally for the season to two goals and four assists in 16 appearances — averaging a goal contribution pretty much every other game. He’s played on the left for 11 of those games (and five goal involvements), including trips to Chelsea, Liverpool and PSG.

City’s left-back problems have been well-publicised in recent years, with the above roll-call highlighting how inconsistent they have been in a position that is crucial to Guardiola’s style of play.

Cancelo was brought in predominantly as a right-back, but he has understandably struggled to displace him for long periods in his favoured position. His evolution into an inverted full-back last season was inspired, and he’s undergone a similar tactical development this season.

Perhaps enforced by a lack of options given Zinchenko’s early season injury, Cancelo has been the only option on the left. In those 16 outings so far this season, he has transformed again into an attacking left-back, able to play with both feet, come inside, or go on the outside and swing a ball in.

He can cross from deep, from the byline, or run with the ball direct. And he sent a useful reminder of his shooting abilities in the Champions League wins over RB Leipzig and Club Brugge.

After five years, has Guardiola accidentally found the all-round left-back he’s been searching for?

Now, assuming Kyle Walker is fit and plays at right-back, Cancelo faces perhaps his biggest test of the season in his new predominant role — Portugal compatriot and former Juventus teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.

After coming up against Lionel Messi in Paris — albeit the Argentine lined up on the opposite flank — Cancelo will likely see plenty of international teammate Ronaldo, as well as having to deal with Edinson Cavani, and likely one of Mason Greenwood or Marcus Rashford.

Bernardo Silva summed up the the task facing City regarding Ronaldo, saying: “We know how dangerous they are with players like [Edinson] Cavani and Ronaldo and when they have chances, they’re lethal. They don’t need much space to score.

“The only way to avoid them creating chances is with the ball, is having the ball as much as we can and trying to put them in their final third to try to prevent the counter-attacks as much as possible.”

Cancelo will be key to both aspects of Bernardo’s tactical evaluation, keeping United penned into their own half by supporting the attack while also ensuring there is little space for United to get in behind him.

In previous years, United have targeted City’s left side as a point of weakness; think Angelino or Delph (or Zinchenko to a lesser extent). This season, the long-term problem position that is arguably the strongest it’s ever been under Guardiola.

If Cancelo can pass the United test, he will know that the left-back spot is his to lose going forward.

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