Rodri is truly the engine that makes Manchester City go, and we all see that every time he’s absent. Rodri will be monitored for Sunday’s clash at Arsenal, after coming off early in the 2-0 win over Napoli last night. City manager Pep Guardiola explained:
“He was so smart [to ask to come off against Napoli]. I know the result was not over, it was 1-0 then, it is always tricky, but he did not feel good.
Arsenal vs Manchester City FYIs
Kickoff: Sun. Sept. 22, 4:30pm, Emirates Stadium
Team News: Arsenal FC Manchester City
Starting XI Predictions: Arsenal FC Manchester City
Google Result Probability: Arsenal FC 49% Manchester City 25% Draw 26%
PL Standing: Arsenal FC 2nd, 9 pts Manchester City 8th, 6 pts
Man City Team News
“So we always try to talk [to understand what is best]. We try to sustain his fitness and feel that is not uncomfortable and he is better. We see day by day. Yesterday, for example, in the training session he didn’t feel comfortable, he did not feel good, but said: ‘No, no, I’ll be fine tomorrow.’ And he played extraordinary.”
In other words, this is is more precautionary than anything. He missed almost all of last season with a knee injury, so minutes management remains a concern. You can understand why Rodri came off after 60 minutes on Thursday, after having just played 72 minutes last weekend in the Manchester derby.
Rodri is so valuable to what City does, the last thing they want to do is overcook the 29-year-old.
Elsewhere Mateo Kovacic is getting closer towards a return, with the timeline now being early October. “Kova is coming back soon,” Pep said on Wednesday. And then the only other update here is John Stones (undisclosed issue) who is a doubt, maybe a very strong doubt, for this one.
And of course, Rayan Ait Nouri (undisclosed problem), Omar Marmoush (knee), Rayan Cherki (hamstring) and Kalvin Phillips (achilles rehab) all remain out.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter