Having joined Man City from Wolves for £53 million in the summer of 2023, Nunes was once expected to boost the club's creativity in midfield.
However, he had many difficulties in winning a starting position when competing with classy names such as Rodri, Bernardo Silva or Kevin De Bruyne.
Kyle Walker's injury and departure to AC Milan in mid-season forced Guardiola to experiment with Nunes at right-back - a role unfamiliar to him.
In the early stages, the Portuguese player's performance was unstable, causing many people to doubt his future at the Etihad. But this season, Nunes has changed dramatically.
Since being given the opportunity to replace the injured Abdukodir Khusanov in September, Nunes has been on top and made a strong impression, especially in the match against Villarreal.
Ahead of Man City's match against Aston Villa, manager Guardiola especially praised Nunes: "He could be an incredible right-back. Matheus used to play very well in the holding midfield position and just needs to focus, he can become one of the best right-backs. Now the problem lies with him... just change his mind and he will understand that he is suitable for the new role.
Nunes, 27, had a splash at Sporting Lisbon before moving to the Premier League. He stands out with his ball-holding ability, personal technique and strong breakthrough speed - factors that help him adapt quickly to the new role.
Before the away match against Aston Villa, Guardiola admitted that this was a tough opponent for Man City: "They played much better than us in the last two matches at Villa Park. Hopefully this Sunday will be different. I really admire Unai, he is extremely stable, well prepared and very smart.
Currently, Man City is ranked 2nd on the rankings, with 16 points. They are still 3 points behind leaders Arsenal, who will meet Crystal Palace in this round.
