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One Shocking Stat Proves Just How Good John Stones Has Been, This Season

One Shocking Stat Proves Just How Good John Stones Has Been, This Season

The Manchester City defender seems to finally be fulfilling his potential

Joe Baiamonte

Joe Baiamonte

Given that they've been scoring for fun this season, Manchester City's attack have been taking much of the plaudits for the club's rampant, undefeated start to the campaign. But it's one of City's defenders who perhaps deserves the most praise so far, this term.

While Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, Kevin de Bruyne and David and Bernardo Silva lay siege to opposition defences on a weekly basis, it is a member of City's defence who has become Pep Guardiola's most improved player.

John Stones, a £50 million arrival from Everton in the summer of 2016, was much maligned for a series of nervy performances, last season, with City constantly struggling in defence, resulting in a third placed Premier League finish and Guardiola's first ever trophyless season as a manager.


John Stones
John Stones
Stones
Stones

Stones looks to be finally living up to the promise he showed during his time at Everton. Images: PA

Stones was castigated for a series of errors last year, yet this season the former Everton man looks a player reborn, full of confidence at the heart of City's defence, no doubt helped by having a commanding goalkeeper behind him in Summer arrival Ederson, rather than the erratic Claudio Bravo.

And while City have only conceded four goals in their opening nine Premier League matches, it's not the watertight nature of their defence that is actually the most impressive aspect of Stones' displays. It's the fact the former Barnsley youngster has the highest pass completion rate of any player in the top five leagues in Europe.






As some of the above tweets suggest, the effect of Pep Guardiola's coaching seems to have started working for Stones and is paying dividends for City, who sit five points clear of second placed Manchester United in the Premier League and also sit atop their Champions League group after three consecutive victories.

(H/T 90 Minutes)

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Manchester City, Football News, Football, Premier League, John Stones