Absence of City star makes rematch altogether smaller

Rodri’s injury has exposed a thin part of Guardiola’s squad – in contrast to the depth at Arsenal. But today’s clash at the Emirates can’t be billed as a title decider

- Richard Jolly

It isn’t often Pep Guardiola wishes he had suffered defeat. But as he looks back four months, to what now looks like the moment Manchester City’s era of dominance came to an abrupt end, he said: “I would have preferred to lose that game and have Rodri all season, absolutely.”

Guardiola didn’t lose the game in question. John Stones’s 98thminute equaliser against Arsenal in September seemed colossal in the context of the title race. Not now: or only in the way points have tended to escape Arsenal’s grasp. It was the second of seven games this season they have drawn after leading, despite a heroic defensive display in the second half.

For City, however, the seismic setback had nothing to do with the scoreline. Penalty shootouts aside, they lost a lone game in which Rodri appeared last season: the FA Cup final. They have lost 10 this season: none in the first month after the Spaniard was sidelined, then in a flurry.

Remove Rodri and you stop City? Arsenal appeared to be testing that theory when Kai Havertz barged into him within seconds of kick-off. The Ballon d’Or winner’s knee injury came after a shove from Thomas Partey, albeit more accidental, as they contested a corner.

Rodri was a talisman and the sticking plaster. He was ballwinner and passer, the man who set the tempo and cut out the counterattacks. He had developed a handy habit of scoring pivotal goals. He had also camouflaged the failings in City’s succession planning. Until, suddenly, they were laid bare.