In the week where Manchester City saw their left-back target join Chelsea and Joao Cancelo exposed by Liverpool, Pep Guardiola found an innovative solution to the pressure building on the left-back position at West Ham: not to use one.
City decided they wouldn't pay Brighton's asking price for Marc Cucurella - which was an understandable stance when he joined Chelsea for £55m, rising to £62m - but that has left them worryingly light on full-backs with less than a month of the transfer window remaining and on the eve of a new Premier League season.
It was expected that Cancelo would start at left-back at West Ham, then, with Kyle Walker on the right, although the way they played was far less predictable - proving Pep Guardiola is ready to innovate and keep the Premier League guessing for a seventh season. ALSO READ: City player ratings vs West Ham From the start, both Cancelo and Kyle Walker tucked inside wherever possible, effectively acting as a double pivot, in stark contrast to their touchline-hugging roles vs Liverpool last week.
That was necessary due to Liverpool's focus on their wingers, although West Ham operate differently and like their forwards to come inside and crowd the centre.