Grant Hanley has been an imperious presence at the back and has returned to his best after several frustrating seasons in Norfolk. Connor Southwell analyses his impact and predicts what is to come for the Scottish defender.
When Grant Hanley arrived at Carrow Road back in 2017, he was seen as a remedy to defensive problems.
City had just been battered 4-0 by Millwall and the Scotsman was recruited to shore up a porous backline. His inclusion in the starting line-up contributed to a much improved defensive offering, with Hanley going on to be named as runner-up behind James Maddison in the club's annual Player of the Year vote.
Early impressions were positive but injuries scuppered his starting role in Daniel Farke's line-up early in 2018-19, as an injury at Portman Road saw him ruled out until December.
An FA Cup dismissal against Portsmouth saw his return to first-team action end up being rather short-lived. City then relied on a pairing of Christoph Zimmermann and Ben Godfrey to secure the Championship title and Hanley had a watching brief.
Defensive injuries offered a chance to start in the opening three matches of the 2019-20 Premier League season against Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle United, but the Scot struggled to find his rhythm after a period without games.
His own fitness then took a turn for the worse again as groin and hernia surgery would rule him out of action until December. The parallels from the previous season merely contributed to the frustration.
Hanley did find his way back into the starting line-up between December and the postponement of the season before suffering a major hamstring injury prior to Project Restart.
Internally, the mission ahead of City's next Premier League crusade is to improve the fitness of their squad after defensive injuries left options decimated in that area throughout 2019-20.
Hanley's quality at Championship level has never been up for debate, it has been fitness that has hindered his ability to showcase it regularly rather than Farke's selection choices. Every time the Scot has entered a period of form, injury has struck and left him sidelined for a significant period.
Those injuries were playing havoc with his international career as well, despite Steve Clarke's attempts to select him.
In spite of some real positive moments, Hanley was yet to get a full season under his belt at Carrow Road heading into the 2020-21 campaign. Given his importance in the dressing room and Norwich's need to shift the mentality, it would be pivotal for Farke that the defender stayed fit.
Fast forward 12 months, and the Scottish international has started 42 Championship matches in a row and is heading to the European Championships with his country.
Hanley has performed exceptionally throughout the course of the Canaries' dominant title-winning campaign.
It's easy for his influence to get lost amongst the brilliance of Buendia, Pukki et al. But he has resembled a brick wall at times. Hanley's performances have been of a consistently high standard this season. He has led from the back and bailed City out on numerous occasions.
His importance extends into the dressing room. He is a well-liked and respected character, someone who leads by example and commands respect. Hanley falls into the 'cultural enabler' category that City look at when recruiting fresh talent.
Very few strikers, some worth millions of pounds, have managed to get the better of him this season.
His positional awareness, intelligence and defensive fundamentals have been key to his performances. Hanley admitted recently to feeling as though he has rediscovered his best form, and City are reaping the benefits.
For years, City have sought to discover a reliable and quality central defensive partnership capable of tightening them up. Enter Hanley and Ben Gibson.
The pair complement each other's respective qualities. Hanley can sweep up in behind should Gibson get turned, and the former Boro man offers an additional dimension with his progressive passing qualities.
Many feel Hanley has had the best season of his career. Farke feels as though he is still improving.
He heads into the Premier League again hoping to build on an excellent season in yellow and green. The 29-year-old is one of a handful of City stars with more than a single season of top-flight football under his belt.
If he can maintain this level of performance, he will be handed the chance to start their survival mission in August, irrespective of who they decide to recruit to strengthen that area of the pitch.
Ultimately, his game time will hinge on how well he maintains his fitness, which has proven to be the greatest obstacle of his City career. Hanley will continue to surprise with his raw pace and aerial dominance, but he will face more technically proficient and lethal strikers in the Premier League.
City's top-flight status will hinge on whether they can maintain this newfound defensive structure developed throughout the course of this season and Hanley has a major role to play in ensuring they stay tight at the back.
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