Delph a willing deputy for injured City left-back Mendy
With a tough week to come for Manchester City, Fabian Delph has volunteered to fill in for the injured Benjamin Mendy at left-back.
Fabian Delph is willing to play at left-back to ease Manchester City's selection woes following Benjamin Mendy's injury.
France international Mendy hobbled out of Saturday's 5-0 win at home to Crystal Palace ahead of a key week in which City face Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League and Premier League champions Chelsea.
But midfielder Delph has put his hand up to help out Pep Guardiola by reverting to a role he has played previously, including in the midweek EFL Cup defeat of West Brom.
"I've played left-back before, not many times, under Gerard Houllier when I was a young kid of 20 or 21," he said, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News. "If I can help the team I am happy. I am a team player – if we win I go home happy.
"All the players know the system of how the manager wants us to play. I have played left-back in training and at Aston Villa and as a young guy coming through at Leeds.
"I'm not a left-back but I feel I can do a job there. There are others in the team who can do a job at left-back as well.
31 - There were 31 passes before Delph's goal v Crystal Palace, the most before a goal in the since September 2015. Move. September 23, 2017
"Leroy [Sane] can play there as well, but if I'm selected you will get nothing less than 100 per cent - and if I'm not selected I'll be on the bench, screaming and shouting, pushing the lads on to do well."
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Delph was linked with moves to Newcastle United and Stoke City in the transfer window but, after scoring against Palace, he insists he never wanted to leave City.
"There was talk of me going, but I'm here and happy - and as long as I can contribute I will stay happy," he added.
"No player would ever want to leave a club like this. If you do leave the club, it's because your services are no longer required.
"That wasn't the case for me. I wasn't being pushed out of the door and I'm so happy to be here and contributing."