5 issues Guardiola needs to urgently fix at Manchester City

#3 Fix the problematic left-back position

Manchester City have missed Mendy

Benjamin Mendy was purchased for £52m from AS Monaco at the beginning of last season. He was a big reason why Guardiola got rid of all the left-backs he met at the club in one fell swoop; Aleksander Kolarov, and Gael Clichy.

Unfortunately, the French international has had terrible luck with injuries. He has made only 15 appearances in one-and-half seasons in the Premier League.

It is baffling to see that a good tactician like Guardiola has left himself hamstrung by having just once recognised left-back in his team. It makes less sense when one considers how many games Mendy missed last season.

Fabian Delph and Oleksander Zinchenko have filled in. While they have been willing workers, doing what is right for the team, they lack the pace and defensive nous to play the way Pep wants his fullbacks to.

With Mendy out at least until February and Delph's incoming suspension for receiving a straight red against Leicester, Laporte looks likeliest to fill the role.