26 years-old Manchester City defender Ruben Dias provided Pep Guardiola with exactly what he was looking for with the response that Man City gave against Liverpool FC.

However, Manchester City defender Ruben Dias still played in the game even though he wasn’t picked to start.

Not being on the field must have made Ruben Dias angry, just like Kevin De Bruyne was when he was taken off.

A lot of people chose for Dias to be in a number of World XIs because of how well he played for Manchester City last season and how he helped them win the Treble. The Portuguese player has made himself an important part of the team and has also impressed people outside of football. For a while now, he has been a part of the leadership group at the Etihad.

Before Sunday, the only Premier League games Dias could have played but didn’t were against Burnley and Bournemouth, so he couldn’t have been planning to sit out at Anfield. If there was a player who was happy to do everything for the team, not getting to play in such an important game would have hurt.

Guardiola may or may not have explained his choice at Anfield, but he has already taught his players to be ready for changes based on the team’s skills and the skills of the opponents. Center-backs who work for the boss at least know where they stand, even if it’s hard to take being left out.

“Pep looks at the other team and thinks about what might work better. The manager has his own view of the game, but we all know that things can change in every game, so we need to be very flexible.” Dias said earlier this year, “It makes you think about who we are playing against and why we are changing. That’s already how he sees the game and how you see the game.”

“He makes you think because things don’t always go the same way just because—there’s a reason for that.” In the end, that’s very important for the player who wants to learn.

Although Kyle Walker was upset that he wasn’t picked for the Champions League final, he still did what he could to help the team. He gave a speech to the starting eleven that helped them understand why they were playing. And while the Blues were getting ready for the game in the hallway at Anfield, Dias could be seen going around them and encouraging each player before going to the bench.

He might join the team for the next game or the next big game, but that doesn’t mean he will. That’s not how it works. But the defender’s good response to being left out will have been taken into account.

Guardiola is more likely to bring you back into the team when the time is right if you can handle being left out. That won’t be too far away for Dias.