Rodri injury major challenge for Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola waits with bated breath for medical updates on midfielder Rodri, who could be ruled out for a lengthy period with a knee injury and thus badly compromise their Premier League title defense.

The 27-year-old has been an influential figure in City since his recruitment from Atletico Madrid four years ago. He has played in 174 Premier League games, where he has lost only a paltry 19 matches. Little wonder when he takes to the pitch, the prospects of defeat are much reduced for the team. Without him, City have lost 33% of those games but have been defeated in just 10.9% of outings with him on pitch duty.

It was then underlined last season as they suffered defeats in crucial games at Wolverhampton, Arsenal, and Aston Villa without him. Which underlines his value; Rodri has completed more passes in the opponent’s half than any player in the league and is second only to Declan Rice in recovering possession.

This specialty talent in winning the ball and transitioning into offense has made Rodri the heartbeat of the success at City, both domestically and in European competition. In the last 18 months, City and the Spanish national team have not lost a match in which Rodri played, except for that surprise loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup final.

It was further underlined by the recent 2-2 draw against Arsenal, where Rodri went off injured with City ahead and Arsenal subsequently managed to level. Only a late equaliser from John Stones retrieved a point for City, as the tone of the game changed in an instant without Rodri’s calming influence on the City midfield.

Mateo Kovacic is the possible replacement, but were Rodri’s injury to prove an ACL tear, City’s prospects of a fifth successive Premier League title would be dealt a serious blow. The strength of their squad is imposing, yet City would lack a player of Rodri’s ilk, and go, with that, the whole dynamic in the chase for the title this season.