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Focus: Nathan Aké – A Splendid Year For The Dutch Defender

Nathan Aké - A Splendid Year For The Dutch Defender

Nathan Ake was on the verge of leaving Manchester City for Chelsea in the summer due to lack of game time according to multiple reports. However, the Dutch defender had a late turnaround which saw him stay at City for the third season. 

Ake had to step back for the likes of Aymeric Laporte, Ruben Dias and John Stones. His own injury problems haven’t helped and Manuel Akanji’s deadline day arrival looked ominous for the Dutchman. However, found consistency and broke into the first team as a regular starter when Aymeric Laporte was injured.

WATCH MORE: Phil Foden: 2021/22 Season Highlights

Pep Guardiola believed in Ake and gave him a chance when everyone else did not mind his departure. The defender’s ability to play at left-back has certainly helped, playing there twice this season despite the acquisition of Sergio Gomez – an incredible City signing from Anderlecht.

His versatility has greatly contributed to him being given his first real consistent run in the City side since his arrival, and it’s fully deserved. Few expected Ake to be used so frequently at the start of the season and maybe neither did the player himself. But his hard-work paid off and it was evident on the football pitch.

WATCH MORE: Kevin De Bruyne – 2022–23 Season Highlights So Far

With Dias, Stones, Akanji and Laporte itching for minutes, he was only a mistake or poor performance away from being dropped. But he proved to be solid and produced outstanding performances when he was needed the most. Clean sheets were kept, duals were won, goals were scored and City quality oozed out in each and every game.

And now, Nathan Ake is proudly representing his nation – Netherlands at the 2022 FIFA World Cup being hosted in Qatar. They are through to the round of 16 or knockout stages and the Manchester City defender is surly hoping to win it.

Watch some of the best bits of Nathan Ake in the 2022/23 season so far for Manchester City below.

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Premier League 2024/2025

PWDLPts
1Liverpool
33
24
7
2
79
2Arsenal
34
18
13
3
67
3Manchester City
34
18
7
9
61
4Nottingham Forest
33
18
6
9
60
5Newcastle United
33
18
5
10
59
6Chelsea
33
16
9
8
57
7Aston Villa
34
16
9
9
57
8AFC Bournemouth
33
13
10
10
49
9Fulham
33
13
9
11
48
10Brighton & Hove Albion
33
12
12
9
48
11Brentford
33
13
7
13
46
12Crystal Palace
34
11
12
11
45
13Everton
33
8
14
11
38
14Manchester United
33
10
8
15
38
15Wolverhampton Wanderers
33
11
5
17
38
16Tottenham Hotspur
33
11
4
18
37
17West Ham United
33
9
9
15
36
18Ipswich Town
33
4
9
20
21
19Leicester City
33
4
6
23
18
20Southampton
33
2
5
26
11


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