September 24th 2024.
On Sunday, during Manchester City's match against Arsenal, midfielder Rodri left the field with a noticeable limp. It was later confirmed that he had suffered a serious knee injury and would be out of action for a significant amount of time.
The incident itself was quite strange, as it seemed like a harmless collision between Rodri and Thomas Partey. However, the Spaniard was left writhing on the ground in obvious pain. While the club has not yet released an official statement on the extent of the injury, early reports suggest that it could be season-ending.
Rodri has been an integral part of Manchester City's success under manager Pep Guardiola. His imposing presence in the midfield has been a key factor in their recent Premier League titles. So the question now is, how big of a loss will he be as City aims for their fifth consecutive title and fends off competition from Arsenal and Liverpool?
According to Opta data, Manchester City has only lost 11% of games since Rodri's debut in 2019 when he is on the field. In contrast, when he has been absent, their loss rate increases to 24%. This shows just how crucial his presence is for the team's success.
The numbers also reveal that City earns an average of 2.36 points-per-game with Rodri in the squad, compared to 2.04 without him. With 13 points already earned this season, if Rodri were to miss the rest of the campaign at the same rate, City would finish with a total of 80 points instead of the potential 91 with him in the lineup.
This would significantly decrease their chances of winning the title, as the last time a team won with such a low point total was in 2010/11 when Manchester United finished with 80 points, nine ahead of second-place Chelsea.
Luckily, Manchester City has a strong squad and can cope with injuries. They have players like Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan, Rico Lewis, and even John Stones who can fill in at the base of midfield.
In the end, only time will tell the full extent of Rodri's injury and how it will affect Manchester City's performance. But one thing is for sure, his absence will be felt on the field and could potentially impact their chances of retaining their Premier League title.
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