Ruud van Nistelrooy is using Conor Coady’s Wolves experience to try to hunt down Leicester City’s relegation rivals.
Van Nistelrooy named Coady in his City starting 11 for the first time in two months during last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea as he changed formations.
Coady, who started van Nistelrooy’s first seven Premier League games before dropping to the bench for the next seven, was brought in to play in the centre of the back five.
It’s the position the 32-year-old made his name in during his successful spell with Wolves, earning him England recognition too.
Van Nistelrooy is hoping the new formation will turn around City’s form, something that needs to happen sharpish if they are to catch 17th-placed Wolves.
Ahead of the fixture against Manchester United on Sunday evening, City are nine points from safety, having seen Wolves beat Southampton on Saturday.
“I think he had an excellent game,” van Nistelrooy said, reflecting on Coady’s performance at Chelsea. “I thought he played really well.
“He’s very vocal. He’s experienced in a back three or a back five, however you want to call it, in his period at Wolves.
“He knows what is expected of the middle of the three and especially from the sides of the three who jump into the midfield when defending and also in the build-up.
“So he plays a vital role because he has experience in the system and also his coaching to players around him.”
Coady was selected over Jannik Vestergaard, who was one of four fit senior outfield players to not even make the bench at Chelsea, alongside Oli Skipp, Kasey McAteer and Odsonne Edouard.
Wout Faes and Luke Thomas played either side of Coady, with James Justin and Victor Kristiansen as wing-backs, and that’s how City are expected to line up again when they take on United.
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