Consistency Is Key to Manchester City Getting the Best Out of Joao Cancelo
By Mitch Wilks
It's hard to find praise for either side in a game that completely died a death in the second half, especially after such an attacking opening 45 minutes between Manchester City and Liverpool on Sunday.
It felt like there was a majority realisation that perhaps a point isn't so bad heading into the international break before another month of a gruelling fixture schedule. While both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp were right in presumably thinking that, it was all a bit too safe for the neutrals.
Both sides were there for the taking with tired legs and shaky defences, but neither committed enough men forward to break the 1-1 deadlock.
Joao Cancelo was the exception, however.
The Portugal international worked tirelessly down the left flank and put in another impressive left back display that slipped under the radar in the wake of all the disappointment.
His performance was another in a recently put together catalogue of impressive displays in the City shirt, which feels like his finest run of form since signing for £27.4m in 2019. What's more, he's been excelling out of position, too, filling in as City's starting left back as opposed to his usual right back position.
It's testament to his versatility and wide pallet of skills, and it's beginning to feel like Cancelo is finally settling in at City, but it's taken time and patience to get there.
Cancelo endured a tough first season in England. Arriving from Juventus as one of the most exciting attacking full backs in Europe, there was an expectation the 26-year-old would be an immediate success in Guardiola's attacking side who were determined to retain the Premier League and kick on in Europe.
He looked a shadow of the player that thrived in Turin, however, and failed to make an impact in a disappointing season for the Blues. 33 appearances in all competitions with just two goal contributions was severely underwhelming, and Guardiola was quick to revert back to the status quo of Kyle Walker as starting right back.
This was by no means a bad thing as Walker has rediscovered his best form in the last 12 months, but it was a humbling for Cancelo, and through little fault of his own. Sure, he failed to make an immediate impact from the right flank in his debut season, but not everything can happen overnight. Being thrown in and out of the team clearly did nothing for his confidence, nor did Guardiola's reluctance to give him an extended run at left back.
Left back has been the elephant in the room in City's first team for a while now, despite their best efforts. 'Best' being bringing back Angelino and giving up on him after six Premier League games, but we'll ignore that.
Signing Benjamin Mendy has proven to be a bargain at £52m - if that's what the going rate is for a club mascot these days. The Frenchman has been plagued by injuries since his big money move in 2017, but has failed to knuckle down in the spots where he's had a run of games, meaning the light at the end of the tunnel is surely fading.
The most logical thing to do would be to go and spend more money on full backs. It seems to be Guardiola's knee-jerk reaction whenever things aren't going quite to plan, but it wouldn't be of any benefit this time round. Probably because he's already bought most full backs.
Cancelo's upturn in form wasn't an overnight happening; his performance against the Premier League champions was the culmination of a so far consistent season performing as City's starting left back in a new look defence. Guardiola's willingness to give him a go on the opposite flank is paying off, as is the decision to show patience and give him a consistent run of games. Cancelo has played all 90 minutes in each of City's last four Premier League fixtures and hasn't missed a Champions League game as of yet.
He's already matched his tally of one goal and one assist from the whole of last season, doing so in just seven games. He topped off a fine run of performances with another against the Reds, managing two key passes, four tackles and two clearances, sending him into the international break brimming with some much needed confidence.
They might've signed him with one eye on replacing an ageing Walker, but Cancelo is proving to City that he simply has to be in the starting XI and can actually fill the void that still remains at left back. There's still a long season ahead, but the Portugal international is proving that consistent game time and faith from the coaching staff is key to his good form.