Guardiola unsure how bad Rodri's injury is

Pep Guardiola says he is unsure on the severity of the injury sustained by Rodri against Arsenal on Sunday.

Rodri picked up an apparent knee injury after colliding with Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey during a Man City corner. He had to be substituted and just a minute after being taken off, Arsenal equalised. 

“I don’t know yet. I didn’t ask the doctors,” Guardiola said when asked about how long Rodri might be out for.

“He is strong. He leaves the pitch and his action is he felt something otherwise he would stay there."

Guardiola went on to call Rodri "the best holding midfielder in the world" and the Spaniard would certainly be a big miss to Man City if he is forced to miss matches. 

Sunday's match was Rodri's first start of the season, and only his second appearance, after recovering from a hamstring injury. 

The Ballon d'Or nominee's importance to Man City is shown in the stats. Since Rodri's debut for City in 2019 they have lost 24 per cent of matches without him. That figure reduces to 11 per cent with him. 

He is now unbeaten in an incredible 52 consecutive Premier League matches. The last time he played, and City lost in the Premier League, was a 1-0 defeat to Spurs in February 2023.

Man City lost three times in the Premier League last season, and Rodri was unavailable for all three of them.