City's £125m move for Enzo Fernandez was always going to draw scrutiny. But after his performance in the derby against Manchester United, the numbers suggest the club may have got exactly what they paid for.
A Man Down, A Midfield Leader Up
City played for more than an hour with 10 men following Phil Foden's first-half red card. Foden was sent off midway through the first half, leaving his teammates to dig in against their rivals. They did more than that. Erling Haaland scored the winner, and City emerged with a memorable 1-0 victory.
At the heart of that resilience was Fernandez. According to analysis from the Guardian, he covered more than 10.25km during the derby. That figure alone stands out, but it's the sprints that catch the eye. Fernandez made twice as many sprints as any other midfielder on the pitch.
Duels and Interceptions
No City player won more duels than Fernandez. No City player made more interceptions. In a game where City had to defend for long periods, his contribution was immense. It was a performance that offered an early demonstration of exactly why Enzo Maresca wanted him.
Maresca pushed hard to add Fernandez to his midfield during the summer. The two had time together at Chelsea, and that familiarity seems to have paid off. Fernandez is a £125m footballer, and with that price tag comes expectation. On this evidence, he's handling it just fine.