Man City analysis: After missing out on Frenkie de Jong, Declan Rice could be Guardiola's next best option

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Time will tell if Manchester City end up paying for their failure to recruit a long-term successor to Fernandinho before now.

The Brazilian is likely to be out until after next month’s international break, leaving Pep Guardiola having to come up with makeshift solutions to fill the void.

In Wednesday’s 1-0 win against West Ham it was Ilkay Gundogan who was deployed at the base of a midfield that had little to deal with by way of an attacking threat from the visitors.

But it was the German’s counterpart on the night, who may have caught Guardiola’s eye.

AFP/Getty Images

Declan Rice is the coming force in English football and did his burgeoning reputation no harm as the shield to a defence that frustrated the Premier League champions for long periods.

In front of the watching England manager Gareth Southgate, the midfielder demonstrated his discipline and positional awareness to help keep Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva at bay for long periods.

On this occasion he was given little opportunity to display his more offensive qualities – but his composure in the face of pressure of City’s star-studded midfield will surely have made an impression on Guardiola.

It is hard to imagine Rice won’t come into consideration as the Catalan finally aims to secure top class cover for Fernandinho in the summer.

He spent months in pursuit of Ajax’s Frenkie de Jong, only to miss out to Barcelona for the highly-rated Dutchman.

Rice, at 20 years of age, may well be England’s answer to De Jong, who is a year older.

AFP/Getty Images

In that sense, age should not be a barrier, if the quality is there – and few doubt Rice’s potential to be a mainstay at the heart of Southgate’s midfield after pledging his allegiance to the Three Lions.

Strong in the tackle, physically imposing, with mobility and an assured touch, Rice is blessed with the qualities Guardiola demands of his midfield anchor.

Convincing West Ham to sell, however, will be another matter entirely.

Bernardo is City’s talisman

Eyebrows were raised last week when Guardiola declared Bernardo Silva Portugal’s biggest star.

Cristiano Ronaldo might have something to say about that.

In Guardiola’s defence, something may have been lost in translation as he waxed lyrical about the playmaker, who has established himself as City’s ultimate ‘undroppable’ this season.

But few would deny the 24-year-old is Ronaldo’s heir-apparent in their homeland.

Bernardo now the MVP at City.
AP

At the Etihad, meanwhile, he has gone from David Silva’s long-term successor to the first name on the team sheet.

Now it is the Spaniard and Kevin de Bruyne who are waiting nervously each week to see if they’ve made the cut.

Against West Ham, Bernardo delivered the latest evidence of his growing status as City’s talisman.

Frustrated by Manuel Pellegrini’s stubborn side, he turned the game as a 57th-minute substitute.

Within two minutes he’d won a penalty, which Sergio Aguero dispatched to secure a crucial three points in the race for the title.

His aggression and movement thereafter unsettled the visitors and created other goal-scoring opportunities for Raheem Sterling and Silva.

But as impressive as his impact was when he entered the pitch, it was the pedestrian nature of City’s play without him that underlined his importance to Guardiola.

Aside from a blistering opening four minutes, the Premier League champions looked like they’d run out of ideas as West Ham held firm.

Guardiola recognised as much – bringing on Sterling and Bernardo before the hour-mark.

He got his rewards – and perhaps realised there’s one man he simply can’t afford to be without.

Mahrez continues to frustrate

By the time de Bruyne took Riyad Mahrez to task it felt like the majority of the Etihad had lost their patience.

Wandering into an offside position in the first half – another potentially dangerous move was lost.

It takes a lot to make De Bruyne look bad – but he was the one paying the price as Mahrez simply couldn’t get on his wavelength.

Making his first Premier League appearance since December 30, City’s record signing put up little argument to keep his place against Bournemouth at the weekend.

Mahrez had little impact before being taken off.
Getty Images

At £60m he’d expect to do better with chance he ballooned over the bar from close range in the opening minutes.

It’s fair assume Guardiola would also like him to be putting more pressure on the likes of Sterling, Bernardo and Leroy Sane for a regular starting place.

But it hasn’t really happened for Mahrez in his debut season at the Etihad.

And that City never looked more threatening against West Ham than when he’d left the pitch, says it all.

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