A new record or milestone tends to be hit after every game Manchester City play and Monday’s 3-1 win over Brentford was no different.
It tends to be from the ridiculous goal-scoring feats of Erling Haaland but on this occasion its Rodri that took home an impressive personal accolade.
The Blues had to fight back from behind after Neal Maupay’s opener but a Phil Foden hat trick inspired them to victory and within two points of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
As a result of avoiding defeat, Rodri has now gone a full calendar year without losing a match while playing for City.
The last time City were beaten with Rodri in the team was February 5, 2023, when narrowly lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur.
But since then, Rodri has made 52 appearance for City and not been involved in a single defeat.
The importance of Rodri
Foden said after Monday’s win that Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne were City’s two most important players but Rodri is probably more crucial than even them.
It is, of course, massive that Haaland and De Bruyne are back fit and firing again. The dynamic duo were responsible for the majority of City’s goals last season and losing that sort of fire power can be costly.
But Rodri makes City tick and not only does his remarkable undefeated streak prove that, but the team’s struggles when he hasn’t played do so as well.
Pep Guardiola’s side have lost three matches in the league all season and all of them came when Rodri was unavailable. There were two defeats in succession – Wolves and Arsenal – when the Spaniard served a three-game ban for violent conduct and then a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa when he was again suspended for picking up five yellow cards.
Additionally, though he almost certainly wouldn’t have played in the match, Rodri was also suspended for the Carabao Cup elimination to Newcastle.
City have lost all their domestic games without Rodri this season, which just shows how important he is.
