Premier League 2018-19, Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City: 5 Hits and Flops

#3 Hit: Laporte shows his skills

Laporte was a threat at both ends of the pitch

As far as defenders go across the world of football, Laporte is probably up among one of the best of them.

But the French have so much of talent at their disposal that a player of Laporte’s caliber his yet to wear the Les Blues jersey.

City though was pretty sure of what they were getting and what they wanted when they forked out 57 million for the defender last winter.

Laporte though is looking to cement his place in the starting eleven having made only nine appearances last season as he acclimatized to English conditions.

But here on opening day, he announced himself. As early as the third he could have been easily booked for a rash lunge on Aubameyang but the referee chose to ignore that and Laporte was relieved.

Thereafter, he unleashed the left foot of his as he pinged accurate passes on to his team-mates.

The pick being the 70-yard switch towards the end half to pick out Mahrez. The Frenchman had a chance to get on the score-sheet as well, but Cech was quickly off his line despite being on the ground having kept out Mahrez’s low drive just a second earlier.

The absence of Otamendi meant that Laporte started alongside Stones in central defense and one could see the way they provided the platform from which City relentlessly exploited every Arsenal mistake.