Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column in which Nick Wright uses a blend of data and opinion to shed light on need-to-know stories from up and down the Premier League. This week:
❓ Dias key to Man City revival?
🔵 No James, no problem for Chelsea
🔮 Un-Spursy Kulusevski sees future
Crisis-hit Man City need leader Dias
Manchester City’s winless run has hammered home the significance of Rodri’s absence. But the Ballon d’Or winner is not the only player who has been missed during the recent turbulence.
Pep Guardiola’s side were still unbeaten when Ruben Dias suffered a calf injury in their Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham last month. In the four weeks since, with Dias having joined Rodri on the sidelines, they have lost as many games as in the entirety of last season.
The collapse has been extraordinary but it might have been avoided with Dias available. In addition to being an outstanding defender, he is one of the side’s leaders, someone described by his manager as “a guy who is always ready to help in the bad moments”.
Guardiola added: “If a defender plays for himself, it’s a problem, but he is thinking always about his central defensive partner, his holding midfielder, even the wingers.” Guardiola would later describe Dias as a player with “the ability to see and solve problems” for his team.
Dias was at least fit enough to be named on the bench against Feyenoord on Tuesday night, raising hopes he could return against Liverpool on Super Sunday, but he could only watch, as an unused substitute, as his team-mates crumbled, seemingly bereft of leadership, as well as confidence and midfield balance.
It is not the first time they have felt his absence.
Since the start of that 2022/23 season, City have lost 11 out of 49 games without Dias starting in all competitions, compared to only five of the 90 he has started.
His role in that treble-winning 2022/23 campaign was particularly significant. City looked in danger of veering off course as he struggled to shake off a hamstring injury suffered in December. His eventual return coincided with the start of a 25-game unbeaten run.
How City would love a repeat this term.
Dias is not exempt from Guardiola’s exacting demands. He was surprisingly dropped for last season’s visit to Anfield, which ended in a 1-1 draw. But with City’s season on the line, the availability of their defensive leader could be crucial this time around.
Gusto softens James blow
News of Reece James’ latest injury setback comes as a blow to Chelsea but it is softened by the expected return of Malo Gusto for Sunday’s meeting with Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
The 21-year-old, who missed last weekend’s 2-1 win over Leicester due to illness, has proved an able deputy to the Chelsea captain during his long spells on the sidelines and it is all the more impressive in the context of what is being asked of him.
Gusto’s last appearance against Sunday’s opponents, in Chelsea’s FA Cup win at Villa Park in February, featured a pinpoint cross from near the right-hand touchline to set up Nicolas Jackson’s header for the second goal as the Blues claimed a 3-1 win.
This season, though, he is more likely to be seen tucking into midfield than charging forward on the overlap. The function of the right-back has changed dramatically under Enzo Maresca.
With Noni Madueke holding the width ahead of him, Gusto is now required to provide support in central areas, closer to Moises Caicedo at No 6 and, at times, even in the No 10 position.
There have been awkward moments as he re-orientates to a different part of the pitch. For the most part, though, he has handled the transition well. “He is giving us many things,” said Maresca recently. “He is helping the process in the way we want to play.”
Carry on like this and James may face a fight to win back his place.
Kulusevski the antithesis of ‘Spursy’
Tottenham stunned onlookers with their four-goal thrashing of Manchester City last weekend but Dejan Kulusevski saw it coming. It was fascinating to hear him manifest his brilliant display in an interview at the club’s training ground two days earlier.
“My favourite game of the year,” he told Sky Sports of the trip to the Etihad Stadium. “It’s where I come alive. I feel my body differently in those games. I feel super confident, knowing before the game that I will give a big performance… I really love to play the best teams.”
His confidence was of course well-founded. Kulusevski, one of the Premier League’s best players this season, had scored in three consecutive away games against Pep Guardiola’s side. His latest visit did not feature a goal but it was probably his best performance yet.
Driven by sheer force of will and an insatiable appetite for self-improvement, the 24-year-old came across as the antithesis of the ‘Spursy’ tag the club are trying to shake off.
“If I’m not being the No 1, then I’m not doing enough,” he said of an off-season spent training and preparing for an agreed move into midfield. “To be a champion, you have to be a champion every day,” he added when outlining the reasons for Tottenham’s inconsistency.
That inconsistency was apparent again as they ended up drawing a game they should have won against Roma on Thursday night. But Kulusevski remains an example for his team-mates to follow.
Live Radar: What’s on Sky this weekend?
The Premier League weekend starts with Friday Night Football as Brighton host Southampton, live on Sky Sports Premier League from 7.30pm ahead of the 8pm kick-off.
Arsenal visit West Ham on Saturday Night Football, with coverage starting on Sky Sports Premier League at 5pm and kick-off at 5.30pm.
Then it’s on to Super Sunday, with Chelsea hosting Aston Villa in the 1.30pm kick-off before Liverpool’s blockbuster clash with Manchester City at 4pm.
Read last week’s Radar column
Last week’s column focused on Amad Diallo, who went on to set up the first goal of Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United reign against Ipswich. Liam Delap’s clinical finishing was also covered, as well as Curtis Jones’ surprising running stats.