Man City: Rodri to face late fitness test ahead of Arsenal clash as knee injury resurfaces | OneFootball

The Ballon d’Or winner may miss out in a crunch top-of-the-table Premier League clash

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Pep Guardiola said Rodri will face a late fitness test before Man City visit Arsenal on Sunday after his knee injury resurfaced this week.

But Guardiola has now revealed that his star midfielder Rodri, who missed much of last season after rupturing his ACL, may not be able to feature after pain resurfaced before and during the Napoli match, where he was withdrawn after an hour.

Asked whether Rodri could feature at the Emirates, Guardiola said: "It's a good question. I don't know yet.

"Of course, he comes from a tough, tough injury. We have to be alert, and we will decide on Sunday how he feels.”

He continued, explaining what makes Rodri as good as he is.

"With the greatest, greatest players I have trained in my managerial career, even as a player, I see it's here," Guardiola said, pointing to his head.

"They are incredibly self-confident, and Rodri is that.

“But the knee is completely different to how you think. The knee needs its process and as long as you are patient with that, and we are patient with him, he will be back."

It is an unneeded injury concern for Guardiola, who is already without four first-team players.

Summer signings Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri were both sidelined shortly after arriving at the Etihad, joining Mateo Kovacic in the physio’s office.

Omar Marmoush is also unavailable after picking up a knee injury while representing Egypt during the September international break.