- Rodri has been absent with a muscle injury
- Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink discussed City’s midfield issue
- Guardiola’s side face Crystal Palace before the FA Cup final
Manchester City’s Premier League title push has been handed another major Rodri talking point ahead of their clash with Crystal Palace.
Rodri has not played since City’s 2-1 win over Arsenal last month. The Spaniard was unlucky to have picked up a muscle injury against the Gunners.
Pep Guardiola then said before the Crystal Palace clash that Rodri was doing better. However, the Catalan manager added that a decision regarding the Spaniard’s selection would be made after training.
The Sky Blues went on to confirm that Abdokodir Khusanov was improving after his knock against Everton.
Regardless, with the FA Cup final against Chelsea also coming this weekend, there was always a question of whether City would take any risks with Rodri.
Now, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has explained why the midfielder’s absence is such a big issue for the Carabao Cup winners.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink explains Man City’s Rodri problem
The former Netherlands international explained why Rodri’s absence is a big blow for Man City at this stage of the competition.
With Arsenal still leading the title race, losing one of the cruxes of their midfield might not end well for the Citizens.
“A lot of football goes through him when he plays. He organises everything, his experience. Everybody really looks at him. He dictates the tempo. He dictates so much,” Hasselbaink told Sky Sports.
The Suriname assistant coach added, “And with all due respect, when he doesn’t play, and Gonzalez comes in, it’s not the same. The quality is not the same, even though he’s [Gonzalez] a good player. But Rodri is on a totally different level. I think they have missed him significantly.”
Numbers underline Man City’s Rodri dependence
Since the start of the 2021/22 season, City have lost 14 of their 48 Premier League games without Rodri. The Carabao Cup winners have lost approximately 30% games in the Spaniard’s absence.
On the other hand, in Rodri’s presence, City have only faced eight defeats in 111 league matches, i.e., they’ve won approximately 93% of their games with the midfielder.
That is a huge difference, and at this stage of the title race. Likewise, Guardiola will be hoping that today’s game registers on the 70% side of Rodri’s absence record.
Man City have a packed run-in
Guardiola’s side also have a packed schedule, and Rodri’s absence will add even more pressure on the Catalan manager.
Immediately after tonight’s clash against the Eagles, Man City will face Chelsea in the FA Cup final just 67 hours later.
Despite being a league fixture, City can’t afford to lose today if they’d like to have a chance at the Premier League title.
However, losing on Saturday means finishing as runners-up in the FA Cup three times in a row. Regardless, with Rodri only having trained with his teammates this week, it’s unlikely that City will risk him tonight.
