City have already been handed brutal reality check when they spare the Rod

WITH the game against Wolves done and dusted before the final whistle, Pep Guardiola had time to make five changes.

- SIMON BAJKOWSKI

Off came Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Nathan Ake, Bernardo Silva, and Kevin De Bruyne... and on stayed Rodri.

City's midfield maestro saw out the full game, stretching his lead over Foden as the most-used player at the club this season in an advantage that he is unlikely to lose with just four games to go.

Why always Rodri? He didn't particularly look like he needed the rest on Saturday in fairness, but the warning that he gave a year ago has arguably already played out and City are no closer to heeding it.

Last summer, Rodri told City coaches that he couldn't go on playing as often as he had done in the Treble year.

It had been a Herculean effort to be on the pitch for so long and as close as the player can seem to immortal he knew that the longer it carried on the more chances he had of flying too close to the sun.