Pep Guardiola believes Man City’s Matheus Nunes can be ‘incredible’ right-back

Pep Guardiola believes he has discovered an “incredible” right-back option in Matheus Nunes.

The Portuguese midfielder has shone in the position for Manchester City this season.

Nunes was used as cover for Kyle Walker and Rico Lewis last season but following the former’s departure to Burnley, he is increasingly being seen as the first choice.

Lewis’ preference is to play in central midfield and two other players to have filled in at right-back this term, John Stones and Abdukodir Khusanov, have had fitness problems.

Nunes has started the last three games and City manager Guardiola feels the 27-year-old could have a future in the role.

Guardiola said: “He can be an incredible right-back because he’s a holding midfielder with incredible physicality. As much as he’s focused, he can become one of the best.

“It’s a question for him now. We talk a lot about it. It’s just ‘change your mind’ and ‘feel’ that you can feel it, you have this special attribute to play in the sides.

“It’s really the last two, three games he played – unbelievable.”

City travel to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, a side Nunes scored a late winner against in their last meeting in April.

Pep