Manchester City fans want to see Fernandinho strike up a partnership with Aymeric Laporte in central defence when the Frenchman returns from injury.
Laporte was injured in August and has been out of action since as City have struggled in defence this season. Fernandinho was initially drafted in at the back, and has emerged as a fine defender and Pep Guardiola's first choice in defence, despite his age.
Laporte finished last season as Guardiola's preferred central defender alongside the now-departed Vincent Kompany, and his return will be a boost for City.
Guardiola offered an update on Laporte's comeback timeframe as he has been part of training this week.
"He’s training every day, he feels no pain and after training he feels good, [but] I don’t know when he’ll be ready to play some minutes," the City boss said.
"I’m not the doctor, what I see on the pitch is he moves well, his movement, for four or five months, he’s not a small guy like [Raheem] Sterling, who recovers quickly, but he moves really well and we’ll see what the doctor says about when he’s going to play."
When he does make his much-anticipated return to the City team, Guardiola must decide who to partner him with in defence.
And when MEN Sport asked fans who would be the first choice, over half (51 per cent) chose Fernandinho.
31 per cent of the 1,357 votes were for John Stones, while 12 per cent offered a different view in the comments. Those suggestions mostly concerned Eric Garcia, who has impressed whenever given the chance this season.
Just 6 per cent wanted to see Nicolas Otamendi partner Laporte.
