Rúben Dias

Dias reads danger early and steps into it rather than waiting for it to arrive, closing down strikers before they can turn and shoot. He wins the ball through timing and positioning rather than raw strength, though he rarely shies from a physical contest. Teammates describe him as relentless in training, treating a five a side drill with the intensity of a cup final.

The question is whether that intensity occasionally tips into recklessness, since stepping forward aggressively also leaves space in behind for a quick forward. City ask their centre backs to defend a high line and cover huge space, which suits a reader of the game but punishes a wrong guess. Watch how often he drags an opponent offside rather than tackling him, because that is the sign his positioning did the work first.