Kyle Walker has revealed that his role at Manchester City this season has had to be tweaked to accommodate the return of Benjamin Mendy.
The England international made 32 Premier League appearances last season under Pep Guardiola and was the club's most attacking threat from defence, registering six assists across the 2017-18 campaign.
Walker was integral to City's success and was named in the PFA Premier League Team of they Year for a second consecutive season.
This year, however, with Mendy returning from a serious knee injury and Walker getting older, the 28-year-old says Guardiola is asking for something slightly different from him at right-back.
“My role is a little bit different, where I am tucking in a little bit more and trying to control people," Walker told Manchester Evening News.
“I still have the licence to go forward, but now I'm getting older it's probably more about picking and choosing my runs, rather than up and down the wings as I was at Tottenham!”
Both Walker and Mendy arrived in Manchester during last summer's transfer window, the former in a deal worth £47 million ($61m) and the latter slightly more expensive at £52m ($67m).
Mendy suffered ligament damage against Crystal Palace in September 2017 which limited the France international to just four starts and three substitute appearances in the English top flight last term.
Having made good progress at the back end of City's title-winning campaign, though, and helped France to the World Cup trophy in the summer, Mendy is yet to miss a minute of league football this season.
Mendy was the provider for both of City's goals in their 2-0 opening-day victory over Arsenal at the Emirates before adding another to his tally in the club's 6-1 thrashing of Huddersfield in Matchday Two.
The 24-year-old kept his place in the team for City's visit to Wolves, with Walker his opposite number on the right of Guardiola's back four.
City host Newcastle in their next fixture before Fulham visit the Etihad Stadium on September 15.