Aleks Zinchenko shows Vincent Kompany quality in Man City win at Norwich

If John Stones pushed his case for the Kyle Walker spot against Sporting, Aleks Zinchenko did it here at Norwich.

Pep Guardiola used to talk glowingly about how Vincent Kompany could come straight into the Manchester City team and instantly give a top performance, as opposed to the likes of Kevin De Bruyne who need time to hit their rhythm. Kompany is long gone but the only Ukrainian in the squad showed again he is better than most at coming in from the cold.

Zinchenko hadn't started since City played Brentford away in December, missing through Covid then injury then just kept out of the team. You wouldn't have known it from his performance here though. It is one thing to work the position and find space, and another altogether to be so composed when you get the ball rather than bursting giddily into the room that is open in front of you.

Find someone that treats you like Zinchenko treats a football, always playing the right pass for a teammate at the right pace that took the move on, whether it was selling a dummy from a corner or playing cute balls inside to Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling.

Sterling probably has the best connection with Zinchenko down the left, but it was promising to see the defender pushed so far up for so long in the game; he has shown he is able to move inside into defensive midfield to help the build-up but at Carrow Road he showcased even more.

At this point in the player's career, we should no longer be surprised.

The 25-year-old has a long history of slow starts to a season only to roar back into the second half and make the shirt his own. It seems baffling to think now, but there were very few eyebrows raised when Zinchenko started ahead of Joao Cancelo in the Champions League final