According to Garth Crooks, Pep Guardiola has more faith in Ruben Dias than any other Manchester City player during pivotal games.
While selecting his Premier League Team of the Season on BBC Sport, the contentious commentator made this statement regarding the £62 million (Sky Sports) superstar.
Garth Crooks’ assessment of Ruben Dias is likely to turn out to be accurate as Manchester City and Pep Guardiola prepare for the FA Cup and Champions League finals.
Garth Crooks asserts that Pep Guardiola puts more faith in Ruben Dias than any other Manchester City player during pivotal games.
In fact, Guardiola himself compared Dias to Kompany, pointing out that even if he is benched, his mentality still stands out as impressive since, like the Belgian icon, he is incredibly altruistic and cares about the cause more than himself.
Garth Crooks has undoubtedly observed the same thing about Ruben Dias and hypothesises why Pep Guardiola of Manchester City favours him above all others.
Since moving to the Etihad Stadium, he has been so successful that no one now talks about how much Manchester City misses Vincent Kompany. Is it any wonder that Ruben Dias is referred to as “Pep 2” in the locker room?
The Portuguese international must be Guardiola’s first choice on the team sheet, especially in crucial matches, according to Garth Crooks, who praised Ruben Dias for skillfully taking over for Vincent Kompany. Even when he is rotated and rested for the occasional match, he returns and seamlessly transitions back into the side.
The mental monster that is Ruben Dias
In some respects, Garth Crooks is correct. Ever since joining Manchester City, the three-time Premier League champion has struck many as a natural winner, both on and off the field—a quality that Pep Guardiola must cherish.
The Spanish tactician’s comparison of Vincent Kompany’s mentality, which was made earlier, gives an idea of how immensely upbeat he is in the locker room.
Most managers would not even hesitate to start the 26-year-old against the best of the best if they combined his elite attitude with the reality that he is one of the finest centre backs in the world.