Man City: Pep Guardiola issues Rodri injury latest in double boost | OneFootball

Spaniard has been a big miss for City in their Premier League title challenge

Pep Guardiola has said that he will “see” if Rodri is fit enough to return to action ahead of Manchester City’s game against Brentford this weekend.

City meet the Bees in the Saturday evening kick off, and Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, has been missing since picking up a groin injury in the 2-1 win over Arsenal.

Nico Gonzalez and Nico O’Reilly have been tasked with filling in for the former Atletico Madrid midfielder in the engine room in his absence.

City trail Arsenal by five points in the Premier League title race, and dropped points against Everton last Monday when they could have closed the gap to three points.

Now, they could be within two of the league leaders should they beat Brentford this weekend.

New update: Rodri

PA

Rodri is in a race against time to be fit for the Bees’ trip to the Etihad Stadium, with Guardiola revealing to the media on Friday: “We will see this afternoon.

"Still he doesn't feel completely comfortable, and when he will be ready and fit and comes back - and we'll see this afternoon, hopefully for tomorrow - he will come back."

City have also been handed a welcome double boost by the return of Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol to training.

The pair have been sidelined with an ankle injury and a broken leg respectively, and their returns will be fully welcomed since they were both Guardiola’s first-choice centre-backs at the start of the campaign.

Now, they have been reintegrated into sessions with their team-mates, but it remains to be seen when they will return to action on the pitch.

"He's good, he's training, he feels good - it's been many months [out],” Guardiola said of Gvardiol.

“Last season he was one of the [most] important player for us with many injuries, he played all the games. And at the end the body says in one moment, 'enough is enough!'

"But I'm happy he's back, hopefully he can help us in the last part of the season and make a good World Cup with Croatia and next season, we can have him again at his best.

"He's an important player; central defender, full-back, can play different roles, so fast, so quick - really good to have him back, like Dias as well."

Arsenal travel to West Ham on Sunday, where they can re-establish their five-point cushion should City beat Brentford.

Guardiola’s men then face Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium before the FA Cup final against Chelsea.