Has impact of Rodri absence been overstated?

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Over the course of Rodri's hugely successful Manchester City career, one thing is plain; Pep Guardiola's side are a better team with him than without him.

It's a view backed up by the data. Since his debut in August 2019, City have a better win percentage, score more goals, concede fewer goals and have more possession in Premier League games when the Spaniard plays compared to when he is absent.

The vast majority of those absences have come in the past two seasons. When City charged to an unprecedented four league titles in a row, Rodri missed just seven matchday squads - and three of those were through suspension.

At the start of the 2024-25 season, an ACL tear sustained five weeks before he won the Ballon d'Or meant he missed more than seven months of action and Liverpool won the league.

His current campaign has been blighted by a hamstring problem but, reassuringly for City fans, the numbers suggest Guardiola's squad is learning to cope without the 29-year-old.

Of the 11 games he missed between late September and New Year's Day, City won nine.

The four-time title winner has made 195 league appearances in six seasons at Etihad Stadium and Guardiola labelled him "the best midfield player in the world by far" a couple of years ago.

There's no doubt his physicality and intelligence in possession is crucial to their success, but the impact of his absence this season has perhaps been overstated.

Read more on Rodri's importance to Manchester City here