Laporte was making his first appearance since the 4-0 win over Brighton on 31 AugustPep Guardiola says Aymeric Laporte is the "best left-sided central defender in the world" after he returned from injury to help Manchester City beat Sheffield United. "We missed him a lot - in terms of the fast pace, headers, build-up, he is an exceptional player," said Guardiola. Former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker Dion Dublin believed City looked "more comfortable" with Laporte back at the heart of their defence. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: "The players around him seemed more comfortable, they seemed more balanced. Since Guardiola joined the club in 2016, the Blues have scored 19 of their 26 spot-kicks in the Premier League.

Source: BBC January 22, 2020 00:00 UTC