Join the debate! How will Rodri's injury affect the PL title race? 🤔 | OneFootball

Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

While Rodri’s season being over has not been officially confirmed yet, the knee injury he suffered in Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal is almost certain to have a seismic impact on the Premier League title race this season.

Despite Pep Guardiola boasting Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden among others, it’s become a near-consensus view that the Spanish midfielder is his most important player, if not also his best player.

Guardiola said as much himself, labelling Rodri “irreplaceable” in the aftermath of his injury, and judging by City’s form last season with and without him, the City boss is not wrong.

With the 28-year-old, City did not lose a single league game (his last league loss came on February 5th, 2023 to Tottenham) and in the four games without him, they lost to Arsenal, Aston Villa and Wolves.

He also scored nine goals last season, so it’ll be at both ends that his absence is felt.

The champions did win their first four games of this season while Rodri recovered from a hamstring injury, but no one on the blue side of Manchester will underestimate his impact, nor will Arsenal and, possibly, Liverpool.

It is a similar scenario to nearly exactly four years ago when Virgil van Dijk tore his ACL for Jürgen Klopp’s then-defending champions. The Reds responded strongly but, eventually, the absence of their key man (and other defenders) proved too much and they fell away from the title race.

That feels a little less likely with City, given their depth, experience and the goal machine that is Haaland, but Pep Guardiola will need to find a solution from players who have not been regulars in the team, or at least, regulars in such an important position.

It is the chink in the champions’ armour that rivals have been looking for, and, although it has come in unfortunate circumstances, it could make for an even more competitive and exciting title race this season.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Can City still win the title without their talisman this season? Or is this somebody else’s time to shine?