Manchester City cannot properly replace Rodri, according to pundit Lianne Sanderson.
Rodri will serve the final game of his three-match suspension by missing Sunday’s Premier League encounter against Arsenal, after being sent off in City’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest last month.
With the Blues losing to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup and Wolves in the league without the Spaniard last weekend, one analyst has emphasized how important he is as a player and how much he would be missed against the Gunners.
Speaking in a recent edition of Team Talks by Premier League Productions (via Optus Sport), Sanderson had this to say about Rodri.
She said: “It’s quite amazing as well because for someone in that position, it’s almost like the selfless position these players play in but I love watching him.
City have the type of players, it doesn’t matter who you support, you have to respect the quality of these players.
“Kalvin Phillips will probably more than likely play, he’s a good player, but he’s not Rodri, he’s one of those players that makes everybody tick.”
City signed the midfielder back in the 2019 summer transfer window from Atletico Madrid in a deal worth £62m.
Since then, Rodri has gone on to make 217 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 20 goals and delivering 18 assists along the way.
Having started every league game prior to the Forest clash, this showcases how important the 27-year-old is for his side.
With only Erling Haaland (7.65/10) having a higher overall season rating than the Spaniard (7.62/10), this highlights why the midfielder is such a prominent figure in the team and why his absence has rocked the team.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s big clash in north London, it’ll be interesting to see if City can do what they haven’t been able to so far this season and get a win without Rodri in the team.
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