With Benjamin Mendy out injured, Manchester City turn to Fabian Delph as Pep Guardiola's latest midfield convert

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Yaya Toure, Javi Martinez, David Alaba, Philipp Lahm, Fernandinho and Fabian Delph? Pep Guardiola loves to move players from one position to another, whether converting them into midfielders or switching them from midfield to a more specialised role. It is all part of his complex, flexible, futuristic vision of the game.

But few expected him to pick Delph, injured for most of last season, and who nearly left this summer, to be the next man to make that switch. And yet Guardiola, who frankly has more midfielders than he needs, is now moulding Delph into a left-back. He first played there against West Bromwich Albion in the Carabao Cup last week, and then played again on Tuesday night against Shakhtar Donetsk.

Delph did not quite look a natural in the role: it is not his side and he did not get forward much on the overlap. But he dug in well, defended grittily against strong opposition, and kept City’s passing football ticking over. Guardiola was delighted with Delph’s performance, and the vindication for his own management. “Always I have one theory,” Guardiola said. “The midfield players, when they are intelligent, they can play everywhere, because they understand the global situation.”

That is what Delph showed, and Guardiola was very impressed. “He understands the rules, and he made an amazing game. You play against that team, against Marlos, and when the full-back goes you are defending that position. And with the ball, like a midfielder, he is so clever. He did not miss one pass, he always gives good continuity in the play. I am so happy for him, so, so happy.” John Stones was just as impressed. "Obviously it's not his position but he's just got on with it and done a brilliant job there," he said last night. "It's an absolute credit to him."

Guardiola admitted that it was a “personal regret” that Delph only started five games last season and promised that this year he is going to play more. But now Guardiola and Delph have a chance. City only started the season with one specialist left-back, Benjamin Mendy, and he is heading to Barcelona this week to have a knee ligament injury assessed. If, as feared, he is out for a few months then Guardiola will have to think very seriously about who his left-back is until the January transfer window opens.

On Tuesday night Guardiola admitted that Fernandinho, Danilo and even 20-year-old Ukrainian Oleksandr Zinchenko are under consideration for the job. Danilo would be the obvious candidate: he is a natural right-back and he started at left-back for City’s first game of the season, a 2-0 win at Brighton and Hove Albion. But he could be needed elsewhere – he has played right-back and centre-back too this season – and so cannot be counted upon full-time. Fernandinho, too, is needed in midfield, at least until Ilkay Gundogan gets up to speed.

Which means that as City face the first crucial phase of their season – they have Chelsea on Saturday then Napoli twice and Arsenal before the November internationals – they could do so with a man at left-back who is completely new to the role. Delph will have to keep learning, at least until City can sign someone new.