Rodri ‘irreplaceable’ but Pep Guardiola confident Manchester City will still compete

MANCHESTER – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he had the responsibility to find a way of coping without key midfielder Rodri, who could miss the rest of the season

due to a serious knee injury

.

The Spaniard limped off during City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the English Premier League on Sept 22 with a suspected anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee.

“Rodri will be out for a long time, a while,” Guardiola said, after City’s 2-1 win over Watford in the League Cup third round on Sept 24.

“There are some opinions that it will be less than we expect but, unfortunately, he was injured and right now we’re waiting for the final phone calls from him and the doctors to know exactly what he has and the type of surgery he has to get.”

Guardiola accepted the absence is a huge blow, but believes a City side who have won a record four consecutive Premier League titles can remain competitive.

“We will have a good season, I trust a lot in my players. I have the duty to find a solution,” he added.

“Rodri is irreplaceable. When a team doesn’t play with the best midfielder in the world for a long, long time, of course, it is a big blow but my duty is to find a solution so that we remain competitive as we have been for many years.

“When one player is irreplaceable, you have to do it as a team and this is going to happen.”

Rodri has been touted as a potential Ballon d’Or winner after his influential role in City’s league title triumph and Spain’s success at Euro 2024, where he was named Player of the Tournament.

The former Atletico Madrid player has lost just one game for club and country in the past 18 months.

Overall, since arriving from La Liga in 2019, Rodri has played 174 Premier League games and has finished on the losing side only 19 times, with 129 wins.

In his absence on Sept 24, Matheus Nunes scored his first City goal in his 32nd appearance as the hosts eased to a 2-1 victory over second-tier Watford to reach the League Cup fourth round.

Jeremy Doku slotted in City’s opener after five minutes and Nunes produced a clinical finish in the 38th minute to put Guardiola’s side in control at the Etihad.

Watford have suffered some horrible Premier League maulings against City in recent seasons, but they refused to capitulate and Tom Ince gave them an 86th-minute lifeline with a curler.

Eight-time winners City avoided being dragged into a penalty shoot-out though, despite some late Watford pressure.

Watford manager Tom Cleverley, a former Manchester United player, told the BBC: “The No. 1 objective was to show some resilience. It has to be more difficult to break us down as a team...

“That was the key message and, structurally, we were disciplined, hard-working and, when we did get our structure broken, we put our bodies on the line, so big respect to the lads.”

Guardiola rotated his squad with several regulars rested, handing a first start to 16-year-old Kaden Braithwaite.

Nunes has struggled to establish himself at City following his £53 million (S$91 million) move from Wolverhampton Wanderers just over a year ago, but took his chance to catch the eye on his first start of the season.

His low finish from just outside the penalty area was superb and he could have had a hat-trick but for good saves in the second half by Hornets goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.

“He has special qualities few players have. Unique. Space in transitions is unbelievable,” Guardiola said.

“Pleased for him and the goal. Still, he has things to read and it’s not easy to adapt. Really pleased for him, he’s a lovely guy and lovely guys always deserve good things.” AFP, REUTERS