Guardiola admits Stones is yet to reach potential as he warns Man City defender to stay fit if he wants to reach top
PEP GUARDIOLA has insisted John Stones needs to stay fit if he wants to reach his full potential.
The defender has played just 121 of Manchester City’s 205 games since his £47.5million arrival from Everton in 2016.
Stones has made just 12 appearances this season for the 2018/19 Premier League winners.
But he is set to start Saturday’s FA Cup clash against Port Vale after recovering from his third thigh injury of the campaign.
Guardiola has urged the 39-cap England international to keep fit if he wants to maximise his potential at the Etihad.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “He has the conditions to do it, but to be the best central defender you have to play one entire season, every three days being there.
“It’s difficult to reach the potential that he has, he has to be at the level to play regularly.
“The last three seasons and a half he could not do it.
“Sometimes when you have a tough injury – for example like Aymeric [Laporte] had this season or [Ilkay Gundogan in the first, or [Benjamin] Mendy the year he arrived – it’s unlucky.
“But in the case of John, I don’t know why he has not been able to play regularly.”
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The Manchester City boss – who has guided his team to 14 league wins in 21 attempts this term – urged the 25-year-old to change his ways.
“We try to help him. We have tried to do the best to help since the first day of the three-and-a-half years we have been here.
“We do everything for him. It depends on him. It’s in his hands and in his head to become one of the best.”