The absence of Rodri is once again in the spotlight as Manchester City’s losing run extends to four games, the worst of Pep Guardiola’s managerial career.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the possible factors in their slump.
Missing Rodri
Guardiola’s key midfielder was forced off in the first half against Arsenal on September 22 and was subsequently ruled out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Since then, and including that game, City have won six out of 12 – drawing with the Gunners and Newcastle and now suffering their run of defeats – which is in line with their long-term record without Rodri.
In Premier League fixtures since his arrival at the club in 2019, City’s win rate falls from 74 per cent with him in the team to 59 per cent without and their points per game from 2.37 to 1.85.
Furthermore, last season’s FA Cup final loss to Manchester United ended a 74-match unbeaten run for Rodri with club and country since Spain’s defeat to Scotland in March 2023.
City’s injury issues extend beyond Rodri, with Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku among the midfield absentees and troubles also in defence. Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake have all missed time this season, though the latter pair’s presence on the bench against Brighton raised eyebrows as Guardiola paired full-back Kyle Walker and youngster Jahmai Simpson-Pusey in the centre.
Travel sickness
Notably, City’s four successive defeats have all come away from home – long domestic trips to London, to face Tottenham, and south-coast pair Bournemouth and Brighton plus a Champions League game away to Sporting Lisbon.
In Guardiola’s time in charge and excluding games at neutral venues, his side have won 79.9 per cent of home games – 183 out of 229 – dropping to two thirds of away games, 160 out of 240.
If that is a relatively minor difference, their rate of defeats more than doubles from 7.4 per cent at home (17 losses) to 17.9 per cent away (43).
Back-to-back home games after the current international break will test this theory.
Quality of opposition
City were unbeaten in the first eight games after Rodri’s injury, including Arsenal, but his absence is perhaps being felt now against tougher opposition.
They drew with the Gunners and Newcastle while their wins in that stretch came against Slovan Bratislava and Sparta Prague in the Champions League – scoring nine goals without reply – Championship side Watford in the Carabao Cup and, in the league, Fulham and bottom pair Wolves and Southampton.
Spurs and Sporting provide tougher tests on paper and Brighton are flying high in sixth in the Premier League. Bournemouth are 12th but that result capped their run of seven points from three games against Arsenal, Aston Villa and City.
Of course, City’s fearsome squad are expected to sweep all before them and they will have to rediscover that form, with City’s next four games against Spurs, Feyenoord, Liverpool and in-form Nottingham Forest.
