Stones prepares to captain his country despite City frustrations

Defender has started just three games for his club this season but is key for England, who he leads out tonight

- David Hytner

John Stones is talking about control, what he can and cannot bend to the force of his talent and will, and there are plenty of things at Manchester City right now that fit squarely into the latter category.

It is an unsettling time for the club where Stones has practically become part of the furniture, with the charges brought against them by the Premier League, the conflict over associated party transactions (APT), the open hostility on both sides. Meanwhile the director of football, Txiki Begiristain, is poised to leave at the end of the season, which could have implications for the future of the manager, Pep Guardiola. Yes, there is that, too.

“The honest truth is that no, it doesn't worry me,” Stones says. “I am very much someone if I cannot control it I don't give it the headspace. That might seem a bit wrong in some ways but that is how I deal with it. It is out of my hands and I put a lot of trust in the club. I have quite a simple mindset towards things that I can control.”

What Stones can affect is his game, his involvement for Guardiola's team, and the truth is it has meant dealing mainly with frustration so far this season, which was the case, too, for much of the previous campaign.