Why Jesus Navas Should Not Be an Automatic Starter for Manchester City

At full-time in Manchester City’s recent 6-1 win over Newcastle United, amid the excitement of a stunning second-half display, Jesus Navas left the field with his reputation enhanced after an excellent 45-minute cameo.

The Spaniard had been introduced at half-time with the game at 1-1. Raheem Sterling had been ineffective and, as is so often the case, Manuel Pellegrini decided the game needed Navas.

City had been under pressure for the first 35 minutes, but Joe Hart’s crucial save from Aleksandar Mitrovic, followed by Sergio Aguero’s equaliser towards the end of the first period had clearly ruffled Newcastle.

City scored five in the second half, ruthlessly carving open Steve McClaren’s men en route to a return to the top of the Premier League table, with Navas impressing and helping to swing the momentum in City’s favour.

David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and five-goal man Aguero were the chief architects of the win and deserve huge credit for their performances, but Navas had played his part. He stretched the Newcastle defence with his pace, gave Kevin Mbabu and Jamaal Lascelles a torrid time and delivered some excellent balls into the box. It was new threat for the Magpies defence to consider, and it unsettled them.

Navas’ desire to run at speed in straight lines brought a directness City had lacked in the opening period.

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After a difficult month, which had seen the criticism he receives ratcheted up a few notches, it was just what the 29-year-old needed. His display against Watford at the end of August was poor and ended with him being subbed off at half-time, and his performance against West Ham United, where he attempted 18 crosses with only two finding a blue shirt, tipped the scales for supporters who question why he is in the side.

He wasn’t even supposed to start that game. Silva had been named in the starting line-up but had withdrawn having suffered an injury during the warm-up. Navas was dropped for the subsequent league match away at Tottenham Hotspur and the Champions League trip to Borussia Monchengladbach.

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Supporter frustration with Navas is, to some extent, understandable. He can be predictable and one-dimensional, and his final ball is often lacking the quality needed. However, he provides superb work rate, pace, width and a direct style City otherwise lack. He is an antidote to the club's array of more intricate short passers, which is surely the main reason Pellegrini puts so much faith in him. 

And over the coming weeks, City are likely to need him. With Silva suffering an ankle injury on international duty and set to miss two to three weeks of action, according to Nick Miller writing for ESPN, Navas will be required regularly.

However, when everyone is fit and in form, Navas is no longer a starter. De Bruyne’s start to life at City has been exceptional, and he is now likely to become a permanent fixture in the side. The subtle interplay between him and Silva in the game against Newcastle was superb—a sign, perhaps, of things to come.

And with Sterling, 20, playing on the left and seen by Pellegrini as the future of City's attack, the three support positions behind the lone striker in City’s 4-2-3-1 system appear sewn up.

But Navas, signed for £14.9 million in the summer of 2013, has a role to play. He has proved to be an excellent value-for-money signing, adding much-needed pace and width when those attributes are required, and he will provide quality cover for City’s other attacking players.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.