Man City evening headlines as Mendy makes vow fans will love and centre-back experiment explained

Here are the Manchester City evening headlines on Wednesday, May 27 as Benjamin Mendy makes fans a promise.

Here are the Manchester City evening headlines on Wednesday, May 27.

Fans haven’t seen the real Benjamin Mendy

Left-back Benjamin Mendy vows that fans have not seen the best version of himself yet.

After suffering an ACL tear early in his Manchester City career, Mendy has struggled for fitness and consistent form during his time at the Etihad.

As he says himself, there have been encouraging performances and periods, but he has not been able to string together an extended run of positive play.

“Maybe I do some good games, maybe I do some bad games, but the top Mendy, we don't see him because I need, not a long time, but to keep going to play and play, to come back at the best level,” he told Sky Sports’ The Football Show.

“One time, I was injured after I came back, then there was something else, and now we have the COVID like all the world. I would like to prefer to play and give everything now for the people to see the real Mendy but if I need to wait, I'm going to wait. I know the time will come and I'm still working.”

Mendy also revealed that Kevin de Bruyne has helped in his recovery to fitness and that he wants to one day rival the Belgian in the assists department.

“Sometimes I talk with Kevin de Bruyne,” he said. “I tell him 'when I'm going to be at 100 [per cent fit], we're going to fight for the assists'. He's the king, he's the top, top level but it's this that makes you want to go up more levels again and again. This year, he has given me a lot of ambition.”

Premier League issues statement on return to full-contact training

As Manchester City players made their return to individual training and then training in small groups over the past two weeks, today the Premier League announced that clubs have voted in favour of the next step in preparations: full-contact training.

“Premier League Shareholders today voted unanimously to resume contact training, marking another step towards restarting the Premier League season, when safe to do so,” a statement said. “Squads are now able to train as a group and engage in tackling while minimising any unnecessary close contact.”

The statement also says that the ‘health and wellbeing’ of the players, coaches and other staff is the chief priority and that protocols to minimise contact remain in place.

“The Premier League’s priority is the health and wellbeing of all participants,” it read. “Strict medical protocols are in place to ensure the training ground is the safest environment possible and players and staff will continue to be tested for COVID-19 twice a week.

“Stage Two of the Return to Training protocol has been agreed following consultation with clubs, players, managers, the PFA, LMA and the Government.

“Discussions are ongoing as work continues towards resuming the season, when conditions allow.”

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How City’s centre-back position shakes out

After Aymeric Laporte suffered a nasty knee injury at the start of the season, Pep Guardiola has had to experiment a lot with the centre-back position throughout the year, using defensive-midfielder Fernandinho at the position extensively.

City have suffered as a result. John Stones’ form deteriorated throughout the year, Nicolas Otamendi has been inconsistent, while they have conceded 31 goals in 28 games already this season, eight more than their tally across 38 games last season.

However, as Laporte returns to fitness and the Premier League prepares to conclude the season, Guardiola has the chance to survey his options at the position, including pairing Laporte with Stones, who admitted that he has stepped back, readdressed his attitude to training, and worked on his fitness during the recent time off.

As Joe Bray writes for MEN Sport, Otamdendi and Laporte have the best defensive record and win-rate together and could be one option for Guardiola to explore. Meanwhile, a return to form for Stones is vital ahead of next season when he may have to take on a much larger role within the team.

With Stones and Laporte providing the highest potential at the position, could Guardiola use the remaining ten Premier League matches to ease the pair back into action alongside one another?