Ederson has explained why he was captured on film squatting close to the halfway line as his Manchester City teammates poured on the derby agony for United. The Brazil international advances to the centre circle as the Blues camped in the Reds' half for the final 15 minutes, clocking up a staggering 93 per cent possession stat as they led 3-1.
Now the keeper faces what could be another easy night as City face Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League last 16, with a 5-0 lead from the first leg. But he said that his positioning in the circumstances was the norm.
"I’ve seen the image after the game, I’ve been in that position - when it’s a corner or a throw I try to play high up to stop a counter-attack, looking to win the ball, it’s something I do a lot," he said. "As it was a derby it was more noticeable that’s the way I play.
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"Pep likes me to play like that. I need to be prepared for everything. A counter-attack for us if we can find the right pass. It’s something normal and we can do very well."
With United offering virtually no attacking threat in the second half, Ederson's biggest challenge was to stay focussed - and he admitted it can be a real challenge playing behind a City team that often dominated the opposition.
"It’s difficult to concentrate when I don’t see much of the ball but I try to communicate with team-mates," he said. "When I don’t make many saves I’m tired mentally as the mental tiredness is more tiring than physical.
"Concentrating for 90 minutes is difficult something I do better thanks to the communication with my team-mates on the pitch."
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