Manchester City became the first side to win four consecutive Premier League titles last season.
After winning 28 of their 38 league games in their previous campaign, Pep Guardiola’s outfit scored 96 goals, more than any other side in the division and conceded 34.
City were also three defeats away from going through the entire season undefeated, getting beat by Arsenal, Wolves and Aston Villa all away from home.
Now that another campaign is approaching, a pundit has pinpointed one particular player in the Manchester club’s squad as being noticeably crucial for his side.
- Man City squad numbers 2024/25: Famous shirt could be free for Pep Guardiola’s next big summer signing
Jamie O’Hara hails Rodri
Speaking on talkSPORT (30/7 08:54), Jamie O’Hara had this to say about Rodri and how important the role of a defensive-midfielder like him is.
He said: “He is so good, isn’t he? How good is Rodri? You watch him in the Euros, and you are like, ‘Oh, this guy’.
“Isn’t it amazing that we all talk about strikers or goalkeepers, centre-halves, that holding-midfield role, that defensive-midfield role, is probably the most important position on the pitch.”
Rodri is City’s most important player
Since City paid £62m to sign Rodri from Atletico Madrid back in 2019, the midfielder has gone on to make 257 appearances, scoring 26 goals and delivering 30 assists along the way.
Looking back over the previous Premier League campaign, the three games City lost were the three matches that the Spaniard was unavailable for through suspension.
Rodri ended the season with the highest total of shot-creating actions (157) and goal-creating actions (23) in the City squad.
He also racked up the highest combined total of tackles and interceptions (96) at the Manchester club.
This highlights how effective Rodri is on the ball trying to create goals for his side, as well as being an effective defensive figure out of possession.
Taking all of that on board, it’s easy to see not only why Paul Merson previously said that Rodri would get into any team in the world and why O’Hara has now shared his admiration for the player and what he’s been able to do from a defensive-midfield role.
