Nathan Ake is set to sign a new long-term contract with Manchester City amid the Dutch defender's best and most productive season at the club.
Ake, 28, spent his first two years at City very much as a squad player, making 10 and 14 Premier League starts in the previous two seasons, but has emerged as a key player this campaign with 36 appearances in all competitions.
The Netherlands international, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, has been a consistent and reliable performer in the City defence, earning the praise and trust of fans and his manager Pep Guardiola.
And his growing importance to the squad it will lead to the offer of a fresh deal, keeping him at City during his peak years and into his thirties.
While Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, and Jack Grealish have taken the limelight as Premier League-leaders City chase the treble, Ake's contribution to the team has not gone unnoticed, particularly inside the club.
“All Nathan’s actions with the ball are clever,” Guardiola said. “When he hasn’t played there was never any complaints, just a desire to get better and a desire to learn what the team needs. He is a generous player with great commitment to the club.”
Ake has admitted that he has taken time to attune to his manager’s playbook but knows he is there now, on the same page and enjoying every minute of the synchronicity.
Fulham 1 Man City 2: Player ratings
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FULHAM PLAYER RATINGS: Bernd Leno - 7. Made a splendid save to tip Grealish’s effort onto the crossbar in the 27th minute. Showed excellent reflex to push Haaland’s effort wide just after the restart. Reuters -
Kenny Tete - 6 Got pulled into the middle too often in the first half, which afforded Grealish enough space and time to repeatedly trouble Leno or pick out passes. Stopped Haaland with a well-timed sliding challenge in the second half. Getty -
Tosin Adarabioyo - 4. Afforded Haaland too much space which allowed him to turn and set up Grealish in the 13th minute. Once again got too comfortable with backing off and gave Alvarez enough time and space on the ball to pick out the top corner. AFP -
Tim Ream - 3. Brought down Alvarez with a clumsy challenge to gift City an early penalty. Had to be rescued by Palhinha after he allowed Alvarez to steal the ball. Left the pitch early with a shoulder injury. Getty -
Antonee Robinson - 5. Displayed excellent pace to catch up with Mahrez and stop him from running through on goal in the 11th minute. Got caught on the ball by Mahrez which allowed him to set up Grealish for an effort at goal in the 33rd minute. Getty -
Harrison Reed - 6 Worked hard in the middle of the pitch next to Palhinha. Got back well to make interceptions in the second half. Reuters -
Joao Palhinha - 6. Tracked back well to disposes Alvarez after Ream’s gaffe and stop City from scoring a second. Crucial to Fulham’s attacking play as he repeatedly played long passes into the path of Vinicius upfront. AFP -
Andreas Periera - 6. Began the move that led to Fulham’s equaliser with a lofted pass into the penalty area. Forced off early with what looked like a knee injury. PA -
Harry Wilson - 6. Displayed great awareness to find the on-rushing Vinicius with a header to set up Fulham's equaliser in the 15th minute. Lost possession that led to City's second goal. AP -
Bobby Decordova-Reid - 4. Endured a frustrating outing against the pacy Walker on the right side of City’s defence. His most notable contribution was an effort that went wide in the 75th minute. EPA -
Carlos Vinicius - 7 Drew Fulham level with a smart left-footed finish into the bottom corner which left Ederson rooted to the spot. His hold-up play was crucial to bringing his teammates into the game in the first half. EPA -
SUBS: Issa Diop (Ream 22') - 6. Alert to stop Grealish’s lofted pass from finding Haaland in the 61st minute. Looked the more assured defender among Fulham’s three centre-backs tasked with stopping Haaland. AFP -
Tom Cairney (Pereira 59') - 6. Picked up the captain’s armband after coming on and added something different to Fulham’s midfield. His entrance brought about a period of uncertainty for Manchester City during which Fulham could have notched an equaliser. Getty -
Dan James (Reid 77') - N/A. Made a couple of runs after coming on but never looked capable of getting past Akanji at left-back. PA -
Sasa Lukic (Reed 77') - N/A. Worked hard after coming on and added extra bite to Fulham’s midfield. AFP -
Manor Solomon (Wilson 77') - N/A. His inability to bring the ball under control when he was found with a simple pass in the 85th minute encapsulated his performance. Getty -
MANCHESTER CITY PLAYER RATINGS: Ederson - 6. Made a hash of his clearance but recovered well to stop Vinicius from taking a shot at his open goal in the 64th minute. Only had one save to make all through the game. Getty -
Kyle Walker - 7. Frustrated Reed on the right-hand side of defence and got forward well. Also got the better of Solomon in the second half. Getty -
Ruben Dias - 5. Should have been much tighter to Vinicius to deny him space to have a crack at goal. Involved in a mix-up with Ederson in the 64th minute that almost to Vinicius scoring a second. Getty -
Manuel Akanji - 7. Denied Tete from testing Ederson with a headed clearance on the stroke of half-time. Struggled to sort out his feet when he was found at the back post by a reverse header from Haaland in the second half. Getty -
John Stones - 6 Had a quiet performance in his new hybrid role. Kept things simple and didn't put a foot wrong all through the game. Getty -
Ilkay Gundogan - 7. Tested Leno with a side-footed effort from close range in the 40th minute. Took on more of a leadership role in the absence of De Bruyne and was crucial to City holding on to the ball in the closing stages. PA -
Rodri - 6 Got back in time to stop Vinicius from testing Ederson in the tenth minute. Not as effective as usual. Getty -
Jack Grealish - 7. Could only manage a shot straight at Leno when he was picked out on the edge of the penalty area by Haaland early in the game. Saw his effort parried onto the crossbar when he was set up by Haaland in the 27th minute. Getty -
Riyad Mahrez - 6. Played Haaland through on goal with a lofted pass in the 26th minute. Did well to set up Gundogan with a reverse pass before the break. Getty -
Julian Alvarez - 8. Rifled a breathtaking effort into the top corner from more than 25 yards in the 36th minute. Denied by a Leno save at his near post in the 51st minute. AP -
Erling Haaland - 8. Scored his 50th goal of the season with a well-taken effort from the penalty spot into the bottom corner in the third minute. Failed to sort out his feet quickly enough when he was played through on goal by Mahrez in the first half. Getty -
SUBS: Phil Foden (Mahrez 83') - N/A. Brought on to help see out the game and he fulfilled his role to perfection as he combined with Haaland to keep the ball close to the corner flag in the last few minutes of the encounter. Getty -
Bernardo Silva (Alvarez, 83) - N/A. Won a few duels after coming on and added extra body to the City midfield. PA
“Pep is very specific, tactically he knows exactly what he wants. Some people take it in quickly, some it takes a little bit longer, for me maybe it took a little bit longer, but once you get it you get it. This season everything has just clicked and I have just grown. The manager has helped me a lot with it,” he said.
“Game by game you start to understand more about what he wants and the team needs. I’m probably most comfortable in the centre but I’ve been playing more as a left back which I really enjoy.
“The way we play is a combination of both anyway and you have to be versatile. I know what the manager expects of me and I love it.”
Ake will not the only City defender getting a new deal, with highly rated teenager Rico Lewis also set for an improved contract tying him to the champions for years to come.
The 18-year-old full-back, who has represented England at all levels from Under-16 to Under-21, has been at City since he was eight years old. He made his Premier League debut last August and his Champions League bow two months later. He subsequently became City’s youngest ever UCL scorer with a goal against Sevilla.
While senior starts have become less frequent as the season wore on, Lewis remains an integral part of the squad and will reap his reward at the end of the campaign with a bumper pay rise.
“He has the ability to make the team play better,” Guardiola said. “That’s not an easy thing to find. Defensively, he understands the game, he’s so clever.”
That was a view echoed by seasoned England international Kyle Walker who has, on occasion, been competing for a place with the youngster 14 years his junior.
“I think Rico is unbelievable,” said Walker. “The way his brain works for a young player is fantastic.”
