Man City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany tells Sports activities Mole that Rodri’s knee injury sustained in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday “could be a season-changing blow” for Pep Guardiola’s aspect.
Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has admitted that Rodri‘s knee injury sustained in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday “could be a season-changing blow” for Pep Guardiola’s aspect.
The 28-year-feeble, labelled “the best holding midfielder in world football” by Guardiola, skilled a disrupted start to the contemporary season and was handed suitable his 2nd start in all competitions in the clash with Arsenal.
On the opposite hand, Rodri was forced off in the 21st minute after jarring his knee following an innocuous coming-along with Thomas Partey at a nook.
Guardiola admitted at his put up-match press conference that the resolution to take Rodri off was made because “he felt something”, and extra than one reviews have since emerged claiming that the Euro 2024 winner with Spain is facing a significant interval on the sidelines.
Indeed, it has been reported that Rodri underwent exams on Monday morning and they have revealed that the midfielder has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his lawful knee.
Man City’s No.16 is on account of this fact plot to leave out the remainder of the 2024-25 season and is seemingly to bear surgical operation in Barcelona.
McInerney: ‘There’ll not be any such thing as a one admire Rodri in world football’
Speaking exclusively to Sports activities Mole about the significance of Rodri’s potential long-term absence, McInerney said: “[The concern over] Rodri relies on the scale of the blow. There’s some folks going around saying it could be season-ending, we suitable don’t know. It be all speculation.
“I’m apprehensive. I’m no longer going to lie, because Rodri is certainly one of one, there will not be any one admire him in world football. I know there was a lot of discourse around City signing a potential replacement or a backup (in the summertime). Bruno Guimaraes was talked about a lot, however there will not be any one (who can replace Rodri).
“Although we signed Bruno from Newcastle United, he couldn’t advance in and accomplish the job Rodri did straight away. It took Rodri two or three years to gather to that stage at Manchester City Football Club, because it takes time beneath Guardiola to learn the ways, the positional awareness that you have to play beneath Guardiola, suitable to stand as much as the mark along with your teammates.
“There’s no one we could sign in world football that would come in and be able to do the job as good as Rodri does. The closest you could probably get is [Ilkay] Gundogan who understands [the role], but he’s getting on a little bit. I feel like that it could be a season-changing blow.”
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Rodri’s injury “is a huge spanner in the works” for Man City
McInerney added: “If anyone is capable of fixing that hole in the Premier League it’s probably Manchester City. When you’ve got a combination of Gundogan, [Mateo] Kovacic, Bernardo [Silva], and of course [Phil] Foden and [Kevin] De Bruyne ahead of them, you’ve got an awful lot of quality there – presuming De Bruyne is going to be okay, which I think he will be in a week or two.”
De Bruyne uncared for City’s draw with Arsenal after he was taken off with an apparent groin concern in the 0-0 Champions League draw with Inter Milan last Wednesday, however Guardiola has revealed that he does no longer anticipate the Belgian to be sidelined for too long.
McInerney continued: “It be undeniable to me that [Rodri’s injury] is a titanic spanner in the works if he’s out for a very long time. He was never going to play against Watford (in the EFL Cup on Tuesday). That’s going to be a really rotated team because City have to, they’ve obtained no want.
“But against Newcastle (on Saturday), that’s a big game and that’s hard. That’s against the man that we just mentioned (Bruno Guimaraes). [Missing a] midfield of [Rodri’s] quality against Newcastle would be a massive blow.”
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Will Man City’s PL title hopes dip if Rodri is sidelined long race?
McInerney is optimistic that Man City can restful assemble to a high standard in some games this season without Rodri, however admits that the Spaniard’s potential long-term absence could have a detrimental impact on the membership’s quest to secure a file-extending fifth consecutive Premier League title.
“I do think we probably have enough to get through the odd game – Kovacic and Bernardo started the season very well – but all of a sudden, our likelihood of winning the Premier League does dip if that’s a serious injury for Rodri, you can’t really get past that,” said McInerney.
Rodri has been a vastly influential cog in the Guardiola machine that has won 11 trophies since he joined Man City from Atletico Madrid in 2019, including four Premier League title and one Champions League, with Rodri scoring the decisive goal in the final of the latter competition in 2023.
Man City at explain sit high of the Premier League table following their draw with Arsenal, who sit two factors additional back in fourth, while fellow title hopefuls Liverpool are 2nd and handiest one point behind the Voters after five matches.
> Click here to ogle Man City’s file without Rodri amid injury concern for the midfielder
> Click here to watch Steven McInerney’s views on Man City’s ‘frustrating and ‘disappointing’ 2-2 draw with Arsenal
> Click here to watch Steven McInerney’s reaction to Bernardo Silva’s critical feedback on Arsenal’s performance on Sunday
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