What Will Happen To Manchester City Without Rodri?

FULL-TIME | A hard-fought three points 🙌

🩵 3-2 ⚪️ #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/89UoJ9Q6eE

— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 5, 2024

Manchester City’s 3-2 victory at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon marks their 50th match at home unbeaten. Being the clubs longest ever unbeaten run in their history.

A Kovacic brace and Doku dagger gave Manchester City all 3 points in a game that ultimately could have gone either way.

🔵🇭🇷 Mateo Kovacić with a brace for Man City today… 3 goals in 7 Premier League appearances this season. pic.twitter.com/m3tj825Lhg

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 5, 2024

Former Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira put Fulham ahead within 26 minutes after a backheel assist from Raul Jimenez fell into the 6 yard box for Pereira to easily convert.

City equalised shortly after with Mateo Kovacic’s first goal of the day, before scoring another just after the break. Jeremy Doku put the game to bed in the 82nd minute after a beautiful strike from just outside the box met the net.

It may look like Manchester City dominated and won by a landslide against Fulham but that is quite simply not the case. In previous weeks we have seen an immediate change in the heart of the City midfield due to the absence of Rodri.

Pep Guardiola and co have been quick to amend their worst nightmare this season and it has been a slow burner and something that will haunt this side when it comes to the business end of the season, where City usually thrive and all of their players are unstoppable, but without Rodri and an out and out defensive midfielder, I do not see this happening.

Mateo Kovacic: “Rodri at the moment is the BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD! It’s difficult to replace him as an individual, but we have to replace him as a COLLECTIVE! NO MIDFIELDER HAS THE PRESENCE OF RODRI! ‼️ pic.twitter.com/DLCc5sNFuT

— City Report (@cityreport_) October 5, 2024

In previous weeks, Newcastle looked very strong and took advantage of a very attacking midfield that Guardiola had fielded. Severely lacking a player of Rodri’s calibre who would be able to intercept passages of play and stop everything that comes his way, with Rodri, City win that game comfortably.

Against Slovan Bratislava, they were very inexperienced and City took advantage of that but, there were still signs of promise for Bratislava as they had potential to cause some chaos at times for the City defence, again, something that would have been shut down very quickly by Rodri.

As for today, Kovacic and Gundogan, Lewis, Stones and Akanji, all have the ability to play in such a role however, when it comes to replacing and replicating the best player in the world, it is almost an impossible mission that they are facing.

Pep Guardiola: "We don't have Rodri, we have him [Mateo Kovacic], [Ilkay] Gundo, Manu [Akanji] and John [Stones] in that position, Rico [Lewis]. We have to find alternatives, but of course the presence of Rodri is important in these games. But we played really good..."

— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) October 5, 2024

Manchester City need to look at options in January because this could well and truly be a trophyless season for the Cityzens if something does not change.

Being rumoured with the likes of Adam Wharton at Crystal Palace, Ederson at Atalanta, Joshua Kimmich at Bayern Munich and many more, a big signing needs to be made that can have an instant impact and help lead this world class side to many trophies that they have been able to lift up over the last 10-15 years.

🚨 Adam Wharton is on Manchester City's midfield shortlist as they consider signing someone to cover for Rodri's injury.

(Source: Football Insider) pic.twitter.com/jkt2ekHeeE

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) October 5, 2024