Former Manchester City captain compares Ruben Dias to Virgil Van Dijk

Former Manchester City centre-back and captain Richard Dunne believe Ruben Dias is having the same effect on Manchester City as Virgil van Dijk’s influence when he arrived at Liverpool.

The former Benfica defender has instantly strengthened a City defence making them the division’s best defensive record in the Premier League with just 13 goals in 18 games thus far.

His performances have drawn praise from several quarters with Dunne joining the party to shower praise on the Portuguese, comparing him to Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk.

Van Dijk has been widely credited as being the missing piece of the puzzle that eventually led to Liverpool winning Champions League and Premier League titles, and Dunne feels that Dias has quickly carved out a similar reputation.

“The 5-2 defeat to Leicester in September was a shambles for City. But it’s what they did next that counts – they went out and bought Dias and he has been brilliant for them,” Dunne told Sunday World.

“I think he has changed that City team, helped get the best form out of John Stones. With the way they play, City will always create chances, they are now looking so confident going forward because they are so solid at the back.

“Dias isn’t what you’d consider a typical Guardiola player. He’s solid, he is good on the ball, but his first job is to defend. I was impressed with his first interview at the club when he said, ‘I’m a winner, I am a leader’.

“City didn’t want another ball-playing centre-back, they needed a central defender who could defend, who had that mentality of keeping a clean sheet, keeping his focus on doing that and leaving it to the attacking players to score.

“It’s not far off what Liverpool did with Virgil van Dijk. Once they got Van Dijk in, everything else seemed to just work well.”

Richard Dunne also feels the Blues are now well-positioned to win the Premier League this season due to the team’s new-found solidity at the back.

“Manchester City will be very, very hard to stop. I can’t see any weakness in the City side. No one else is creating chances like them, they look to be a far happier squad than anyone else in the top six,” he said.

“City look like a side who are taking great pleasure in keeping clean sheets, they have Joao Cancelo able to move from full-back into central midfield, and they have that tactical nous that everyone else seems to be lacking. City were always vulnerable to counterattacks, now with Dias in the side they stop them before they start.

“Manchester United don’t have that, and neither do Liverpool, with Van Dijk out injured.

“They are growing as a team, their confidence is high at a time when everyone else in the top six is being tested, and even though they have lost Kevin De Bruyne, they have clicked. Every other team has problems, but it’s all falling City’s way now.”