To say much of the pre-match discussion revolved around a left-back Manchester City sold in summer, one of his replacements ensured that chat did not continue after the match.
Nathan Ake is not strictly the direct swap for Oleksandr Zinchenko following the latter's £32m move to Arsenal, not least because he is already at the club and specialises in another position. However, with Joao Cancelo and Sergio Gomez - the youngster from Anderlecht brought in to cover Zinchenko's absence when the club refused to pay what Brighton wanted for Marc Cucurella - Ake has made himself integral to Pep Guardiola's plans in any which way he can - which was a very Zinchenko thing to do.
It should be said that not every game Ake has played for City has been at left-back. Equally, had City followed through with their original intention to sign a Zinchenko replacement there is every chance that new faces would have acquitted themselves there.
