A centre-half by trade but capable of operating in a number of positions, the 28-year-old has recently begun to shift into the midfield when City have possession.
It’s a challenge that Stones has acclimatised to seamlessly, and a transition which Guardiola recently heaped praise on the England international for.
And while the defender insists he’s still far from the finished article, he admits that he’s enjoying getting to grips with what’s now expected of him.
“It’s a big learning curve for me. I’m always learning and looking to improve,” he said.
“Not just me, everyone rotates and plays in different positions throughout the game.
“It doesn’t come naturally when I’m in the middle but I’m willing to keep trying to improve and read the game and bring my qualities and skills to the team.
“I’m giving everything and being as positive as I can be when I get the ball. The manager puts me there because he sees what I can do in training.
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“I’m watching a lot of footage back after the games and seeing what I can improve on. I want to go out there and play as best as I can.
“I want to get the ball moving for the team and getting into positions – it’s worked quite well so far, and I hope it keeps getting better.
“It only does me good as well – adding these qualities and understanding of the game in different positions on the pitch. I’m really enjoying it and it’s paying off I think.”
Stones was at his brilliant best on Tuesday evening as City took a huge step towards the UEFA Champions League semi-finals by beating Bayern Munich 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
And the England international’s standout display was capped off when he set up Erling Haaland for the final goal of the game with around 15 minutes to play.
However, for a team used to dominating possession and patiently waiting for openings, it was the visitors who actually enjoyed the higher percentage of the ball, with Pep Guardiola’s men showing a more direct side to our game against the Bavarians.
It paid dividends, and Stones believes that adaptability comes down to him and his team-mates having complete trust in the manager’s methods.
He explained: “We always try to play and read how the opposition set up.
They make it difficult for us – they do their homework and know that we have different systems.
“It’s down to us to figure that out, beat the press and try to play out with the ball. Sometimes it is to go longer and use the threats we’ve got up front.
“We definitely mixed it up [against Bayern Munich] and we reaped the rewards of that. Everyone is playing really well as a team. It’s never easy for players who don’t start so credit to those boys.
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“We’re so strong and always give everything when we’re out on the pitch.
“Pep [Guardiola] is very thorough in how he wants us to play and how we set up – he’s very detailed and always has been.
“We’re on the same page as him and believe in him, his ideas and his systems.
“That’s why it works so well because we’re all on the same page, fighting for the same things and going in the same direction.”
