Blues make Rod for their own back as winning run comes to end
MEN on Sunday|October 01, 2023
A WEEK ago Pep Guardiola played down the absence of Rodri from his City team for three games by insisting the Blues would still play with 11 men, even without the lynchpin of their midfield. It's not the quantity that would have concerned the Blues boss, but the quality.
TYRONE MARSHALL
Blues make Rod for their own back as winning run comes to end

No City player played more minutes than Rodri in the Treble-winning season and they haven't had to do without him for three or more successive games since October and November 2019. They have one game of his three-match ban to survive nearly four years on and the omens aren't good.

It's played two, lost two without Rodri and the chaotic, controlfree nature of their defeat to Wolves at Molineux would have Guardiola burying his head in his hands in the front row of the Billy Wright Stand as he served a touchline ban after three bookings this season.

After Rodri's red card against Nottingham Forest, Guardiola joked that he could afford to get on the wrong side of referees, but his players couldn't. He was angry with the holding midfielder then. He will be apoplectic with him now.

When Kyle Walker was needlessly sent-off in a dead-rubber group game against RB Leipzig last season, he spent weeks on the naughty step. Guardiola would probably like to give Rodri the same treatment, but this horror show only served up a reminder of how indispensable he is.

On an afternoon when City could have won their first seven top-flight games for the first time in their history, they allowed Arsenal to get within a point of them ahead of next weekend's Emirates showdown. On this evidence, the Gunners will fancy their chances against a Rodri-less Blues.

It was Mateo Kovacic tasked with replacing the 27-year-old, but Matheus Nunes who attracted all the early attention and Kalvin Phillips who fired their final chance over the bar deep into added time.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 01, 2023 من MEN on Sunday.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 01, 2023 من MEN on Sunday.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من MEN ON SUNDAY مشاهدة الكل
Pep admits: We could not handle Cherries
MEN on Sunday

Pep admits: We could not handle Cherries

PEP Guardiola said that City were not 'clean' enough to cope with Bournemouth as they suffered their first Premier League defeat for 11 months.

time-read
1 min  |
November 03, 2024
United chiefs told me it was now or never
MEN on Sunday

United chiefs told me it was now or never

New Reds coach says he asked to stay at Sporting Lisbon until the end of the season, but he was given Old Trafford ultimatum

time-read
3 mins  |
November 03, 2024
Curzon boss Craig wants more magic moments in cup
MEN on Sunday

Curzon boss Craig wants more magic moments in cup

EVEN guiding his team to a shock victory over Mansfield would be unlikely to usurp Craig Mahon's favourite FA Cup memory.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 03, 2024
Any encounter with wild nature is memorable in some way
MEN on Sunday

Any encounter with wild nature is memorable in some way

COMEDIAN AND FORMER STRICTLY WINNER BILL BAILEY TALKS TO PRUDENCE WADE ABOUT THE ANIMALS THAT HAVE SHAPED HIS LIFE

time-read
4 mins  |
November 03, 2024
Drink-drive firefighter 'haunted by tragedies
MEN on Sunday

Drink-drive firefighter 'haunted by tragedies

Single mum who was almost three times limit is handed fine

time-read
2 mins  |
November 03, 2024
Doubt over promised cash for North transport plans
MEN on Sunday

Doubt over promised cash for North transport plans

TWO major transport projects in the North of England have been thrown into doubt after Rachel Reeves failed to commit to funding pledges made by the previous Conservative government.

time-read
1 min  |
November 03, 2024
Law change could end out-of-area taxis issue
MEN on Sunday

Law change could end out-of-area taxis issue

TAXIS licensed by Wolverhampton council could be BANNED from working in Greater Manchester with a proposed law change.

time-read
1 min  |
November 03, 2024
How a quiet night in lab changed science
MEN on Sunday

How a quiet night in lab changed science

Miracle material created in city is 200 times stronger than steel

time-read
4 mins  |
November 03, 2024
'As long as Barry can see pals at the pub, he'll be OK ra
MEN on Sunday

'As long as Barry can see pals at the pub, he'll be OK ra

Dad's devastating MND diagnosis

time-read
2 mins  |
November 03, 2024
The chilly reception to exit of Iceland
MEN on Sunday

The chilly reception to exit of Iceland

How the closure of suburb's last cheap shop' symbolises a change that some residents would prefer hadn't happened

time-read
4 mins  |
November 03, 2024