What would Rodri's injury absence mean for Man City's season?

It's nan news each Manchester City fans feared.

While nan Premier League champions are yet to corroborate really agelong midfielder Rodri will beryllium retired for aft injuring his knee in Sunday's 2-2 tie against Arsenal - reports propose it could beryllium a lengthy absence.

There are moreover fears he whitethorn not return again this season.

Rodri, 28, is 1 of nan favourites to triumph nan Ballon d'Or adjacent period - fixed to nan world's champion subordinate - and considered by galore to beryllium City's astir influential player.

The reigning English champions person not mislaid successful nan past 48 Premier League matches successful which nan Spaniard has started.

But City did suffer 4 retired of nan 5 games he missed past season, pinch Rodri tasting conclusion conscionable erstwhile successful each competitions, not including punishment shootouts specified arsenic nan Champions League necktie pinch Real Madrid, and that was nan 2-1 FA Cup last upset by Manchester United.

Just really costly could his wounded beryllium to beryllium for their home and European hopes?

After Rodri made his Manchester City debut successful nan 2019 Community Shield against Liverpool, team-mate Kevin de Bruyne described him arsenic nan "perfect fit" for nan team.

He wasn't wrong.

Since arriving from Atletico Madrid, nan Spain midfielder's power has been extraordinary, pinch City having mislaid conscionable 11% of their games pinch him successful nan broadside compared to 24% without him.

City's points-per-game mean pinch Rodri successful nan broadside - albeit crossed each competitions - is 2.36. Without him, it is conscionable 2.04.

Therefore, if Rodri was to miss nan remainder of nan Premier League season, utilizing those averages City would decorativeness connected 80 points, compared to a projected 91 points pinch him playing each week.

In 3 retired of nan past 4 seasons, 91 points would person been capable to triumph nan title.

However, nan past clip a squad won nan convention pinch arsenic fewer arsenic 80 points was Manchester United successful 2010-11. City, pinch Roberto Mancini astatine nan helm, vanished 3rd that year.

What makes him truthful effective?

Put simply, he wins nan shot backmost from nan guidance and past gives it to different subordinate connected his squad - and he does truthful pinch metronomic accuracy.

Since his debut successful a 5-0 triumph astatine West Ham, only Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has won possession much often. Nobody has won nan shot backmost much often successful nan mediate 3rd of nan transportation than Rodri has, and only 7 players during that clip person made much tackles.

His reference of nan crippled and combative quality has helped adhd a existent protect alloy to City, pinch nan nine keeping 73 cleanable sheets successful his 260 appearances.

What really sets him apart, however, is really he uses nan ball.

Since arriving successful nan Premier League, Rodri has successfully completed astir 2,000 much passes than immoderate different subordinate - nan City midfielder has made 13,699 successful total, pinch Brighton defender Lewis Dunk adjacent connected nan database pinch 11,952.

He has besides completed much passes successful some nan opposition's half and successful nan last third, while his passing accuracy of 91.9% proves he seldom gives nan shot distant - moreover though he's often moving it heavy successful guidance territory.

BBC Sport's main shot writer Simon Stone:

Pep Guardiola has ne'er made immoderate concealed of his belief Rodri is irreplaceable arsenic a azygous midfield anchor successful his Manchester City side.

Kalvin Phillips is nan nearest point to a sitting midfielder successful nan City squad but Guardiola has agelong since decided nan erstwhile Leeds man is not bully capable and he is presently connected indebtedness astatine Ipswich and incapable to beryllium recalled until January.

That intends Guardiola is apt to tinker pinch his statement and play pinch 2 holding midfielders.

Former Chelsea prima Mateo Kovacic tin capable that domiciled but he is not nan only option.

Centre-back John Stones has seldom played arsenic a lone protect midfielder during his clip astatine Etihad, but has been inverted into nan deep-lying domiciled astatine times from cardinal defence and right-back.

Ilkay Gundogan was utilized successful that position connected galore occasions earlier he near for Barcelona successful 2023. Bernardo Silva has besides played there, arsenic has presently sidelined Kevin de Bruyne astatine times.

And past location is 19-year-old Rico Lewis, who personification Guardiola said only past week could capable a number of positions, specified is his flexibility.

Losing Rodri for immoderate magnitude of clip would beryllium a hammer rustle for City, but if anyone tin travel up pinch a scheme to woody pinch it, Guardiola can.

The January transportation model is only a fewer months distant arsenic well.

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton told Radio 5 live's Monday Night Club: "I don't deliberation anybody tin capable that domiciled for illustration Rodri, but Kovacic is arsenic capable a replacement retired there. We've seen successful nan past they will find a measurement of coping, they ever do."