The midfielder has barely played this season and has
been barracked by Villa fans ever since his controversial exit, but if
Tuesday night is anything to go by he is fighting fit
Raheem Sterling has dazzled in flashes, Nicolas Otamendi is forging a
formidable partnership with Vincent Kompany, Kevin De Bruyne has been
brilliant. Even 18-year-old Patrick Roberts has impressed in European
competition, albeit junior. Fabian Delph, though, has had just 21
minutes of action to show what he can do.
City’s summer signings are proving themselves to be astute pieces of business, despite the three headline arrivals costing around £140m between them. Delph, on paper, was perhaps the savviest of all; England internationals are not usually available for £8 million. While a release clause dictated that fee, a lengthy injury history would have played a part in any traditional negotiations.
If Tuesday night’s post-match antics at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan are anything to go by, though, he’s fighting fit once more.
Delph spent much of his early years at Villa Park on the treatment table, and it’s been a similar story at the Etihad so far. Having picked up a hamstring injury on his very first appearance, against Real Madrid in pre-season, he only returned against Everton on August 23; he was given a one-minute run-out. A week later he was given 15 minutes at the end of the defeat of Watford, before injuring his hamstring once more, less than a minute into an England match.
City’s summer signings are proving themselves to be astute pieces of business, despite the three headline arrivals costing around £140m between them. Delph, on paper, was perhaps the savviest of all; England internationals are not usually available for £8 million. While a release clause dictated that fee, a lengthy injury history would have played a part in any traditional negotiations.
If Tuesday night’s post-match antics at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan are anything to go by, though, he’s fighting fit once more.
Delph spent much of his early years at Villa Park on the treatment table, and it’s been a similar story at the Etihad so far. Having picked up a hamstring injury on his very first appearance, against Real Madrid in pre-season, he only returned against Everton on August 23; he was given a one-minute run-out. A week later he was given 15 minutes at the end of the defeat of Watford, before injuring his hamstring once more, less than a minute into an England match.