With Rodri now suspended for the upcoming three domestic games, how Manchester City line up without him is the question.
Don Hutchison was right to pinpoint that the Spanish international is an ‘irreplaceable’ presence in this Sky Blues side.
But having picked up a silly red card against Nottingham Forest, he is set to be unavailable for fixtures against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup as well as Wolves and Arsenal in the Premier League.
Rodri out, Kalvin Phillips in may be the go-to solution for Manchester City
Branded as ‘intelligent’ by Pep Guardiola (via Manchester Evening News), Kalvin Phillips could finally get his big break at Manchester City due to Rodri being suspended.
This would be the obvious solution for Pep Guardiola to gravitate towards, considering the Englishman is also a natural defensive midfielder.
Having put in a solid shift after Rodri was sent off for Manchester City on Saturday, Kalvin Phillips may have won his place in the side for the upcoming three games.
However, due to only starting two Premier League games last season, perhaps the 27-year-old could be played alongside a workhorse like Bernardo Silva, who will share the defensive workload with him whilst also helping him control the game in the first phase.
Matheus Nunes has the legs to come in for Rodri
While Matheus Nunes is not a natural holding midfielder like the suspended Rodri, Manchester City may prioritise his athleticism as a reason to play him in a deeper role.
As Pep Guardiola pinpointed after his side’s 2-0 win against Forest, the Portuguese international ‘looks like he’s never tired.’
Proficient at covering ground and winning duels whilst being calm in possession and capable of evading the opposition press with his exceptional ball-carrying ability, Nunes could be an astute stop-gap option for the time being.
Manchester City could back Mateo Kovacic’s experience
Especially in a game of the proportions of a trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal, Manchester City could well trust an experienced campaigner like Mateo Kovacic to replace the suspended Rodri.
After all, the Croatian international has been there and done that for both club and country for years.
In pre-season as well, Kovacic was utilised as a holding midfielder against Bayern Munich and it’s safe to say that he did not look out of place for a second.
The only problem that could emerge for Manchester City is the fact that Mateo Kovacic is not as athletic as either Rodri or Matheus Nunes but to counter that, Bernardo Silva’s presence alongside him could make life easier for him out of position.
