On Thursday, Manchester City defender Ruben Dias reached two years at The Etihad. On Sunday, he is likely to be handed his 100th appearance at the club in the Manchester Derby. Already the club’s captain and tied down to a contract until 2027, he is one of the unsung heroes of Pep Guardiola’s side.
But just how important is he? We took a deeper dive into some of his best stats ahead of his showdown with compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo.
Since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium Manchester City, who had already won two of the previous three Premier League titles, have added more two Premier League wins and a League Cup, as well as reaching the final and the semi-final of the Champions League.
He made an instant impression, winning player of the year in 2021 and ending the year in UEFA’s Team of the Year, and has to date kept 30 clean sheets at the heart of Pep Guardiola’s side.
Ruben Dias is inspirational for @ManCity! 💪 pic.twitter.com/YZpfhPNzS1
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 29, 2022
His impact is clear. Last season, when Ruben Dias was unavailable his side conceded more frequently, with his nine absences seeing City ship 6 goals at an average of 0.7 per game, a stat that dropped to just 0.67 when he was in the team.
So far this season, he has been leading the Manchester City charge too, sitting third in their squad for interceptions, while he ranks second only to teammate John Stones in the entire Premier League for pass accuracy, though he outshines the Englishman in the impressive 95 he attempts per game, third both in the City squad and division.
He will have to be as fearsome in his 100th game as his previous 99, however, with Manchester United boasting a devastating frontline that has already taken apart Arsenal and Liverpool on the counter-attack this season.
