The Premier League Landscape Changes in a Moment

The injury to the Spanish midfielder will undoubtedly be a huge loss for Manchester City.

As Rodri limped off the field, nearly in tears from an injury that could sideline him for an extended period, the expression on Pep Guardiola’s face was filled with concern. He knew what awaits Manchester City.

In the first 20 minutes of the match, Pep’s squad played at their peak, relentlessly pressing and launching powerful attacks, overwhelming even a defensive powerhouse like Arsenal. However, the course of the game—and perhaps the entire Premier League title race—changed the moment Rodri went down in the visitors’ penalty box.

“Rodri is very strong; if he had to leave the field, it means something was really wrong,” Guardiola commented on Rodri’s injury. “Otherwise, Rodri would have continued playing. He’s the best defensive midfielder in the world, a potential Ballon d’Or candidate.”

“We have to face the reality. We don’t know how long Rodri will be out, but we have to confront this loss.”

If the Ballon d’Or wasn’t so biased toward forwards, Rodri would undoubtedly be a top contender for this year’s award. According to iNews, across Europe’s top five leagues, Rodri leads in total passes, completed passes in the opposition half, and accurate passes into the final third—despite being a defensive midfielder.

Rodri is almost the embodiment of “invincible.” At both club and national levels, he has only suffered one defeat in the past 18 months. The FA Cup final loss to Manchester United was his first defeat in 65 appearances, and for Man City, the Spanish star is truly their “guardian.”

Since Rodri joined the club, Man City has won 74% of their matches when he’s in the lineup, with a loss rate of 11%. When he’s absent, The Citizens win only 64% of their matches, and their loss rate jumps to 24%. That 24% means Man City could lose one in every four matches without Rodri. So if the Spanish midfielder is out for an extended period, the chances of The Citizens being overtaken by Arsenal or Liverpool in the title race become much more realistic.

In last night’s match, the difference between the first 20 minutes and the rest of the first half was the clearest sign that Man City can’t thrive without Rodri. Therefore, while many other variables are still at play, The Citizens’ standing in the Premier League title race will surely shift significantly if Rodri is sidelined for a long time.