Manuel Akanji is ready to step in for Manchester City at Anfield to continue his dream start at the club.
Akanji was not in City's plans for the summer before late nerves over the fitness of their centre-backs saw them push through a £15m deal in the final days of the transfer window. That money already looks to be a steal with the player slotting straight into the team in the Champions League and the derby to leave teammates feeling like he has been there for years.
In addition to his stellar start at centre-back, the former Dortmund defender played on the right against Southampton and recovered from a testing start to show his quality again. Pep Guardiola spoke glowingly after the game about how the human calculator had picked up positional play in a single training session that it normally takes others much longer to.
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City are set to be without Kyle Walker and John Stones again when they head to Anfield for their crunch Premier League game with Liverpool next Sunday, but Akanji's stunning start gives them options that they would not have had if they had not changed their transfer plans. Having shown no signs of nerves so far, the Swiss international would happily reprise his right-back role at Liverpool if it helps the team and enables him to stay in the XI.
"When the team needs me, I am ready. My goal is to play in every game and I wanted to make the coach’s decision as hard as possible," he said.
"I think at every club there have been some games at right back. My best position is still at centre back but when the team needs me on the right I am there.
"It depends on who we play. We built up with three at the back for most of the time against Southampton so I didn’t stay wide. It was basically what I do as a centre back so it made it pretty normal for me. When the ball was up high you obviously have to run a little bit more – more intensive runs than I am used to – but it was OK."
City fans have instantly taken to Akanji - helped by his flawless performance against United - and some have even likened him to club legend Vincent Kompany. The comparison isn't obvious given the clear differences in career paths and playing style, but even if he isn't expecting a statue outside the Etihad any time soon Akanji is happy to be mentioned in the same conversation as a player he grew up admiring.
"Of course that is nice," he said. "Vincent was the best defender in the Premier League and being compared to him is a big honour. But I do my own thing, I;m not trying to copy Vincent Kompany. I’m trying to do my thing.
"Vincent Kompany is one (I looked up to). Sergio Ramos also, maybe one of the best centre-backs who has ever played."
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