Pep Guardiola has suggested they’ll make a late decision on whether Rodri can start for Manchester City against Arsenal on Sunday, as the player continues to build fitness.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri appears to be closing in on a return to full fitness after his ACL injury, playing in his club team’s last four games and making two substitute appearances for Spain over the September international break.
Yet after consecutive starts against Manchester United on Sunday and Napoli on Thursday, Pep Guardiola was asked in his pre-Arsenal press conference whether a third start against the Gunners on Sunday could be too much.
“It’s a good question,” Guardiola responded. “I don’t know yet. But he was so smart. I know [against Napoli] the result was not over, and 1-0 is always tricky, but if he doesn’t feel good we try to talk and has to sustain and feel comfortable, so that’s better.”
“We see day by day,” Guardiola added on Rodri’s fitness. “The important thing is he arrived two games.
“On Wednesday, for example, in the training schedule he didn’t feel comfortable, and he didn’t train good, but said ‘no, no. I will be fine tomorrow’ and he played extraordinary like Rodri does.
“With him on the pitch, we feel more comfortable. But of course he came from a tough injury, and we have to be alert. We will decide on Sunday how he feels.”
Rodri was withdrawn early against United and Napoli, with the game state facilitating those substitutions. City were 3-0 up against United when Rodri came off in the 76th minute, and 1-0 up against 10-man Napoli when he withdrew in the 60th.
It was a different story at the end of August, when City lost 2-1 to Brighton. They couldn’t afford to take Rodri off, so he played the full 90 minutes.
Given Sunday’s game against Arsenal is such an important one for City, you’d expect a similar outcome, with Rodri starting and playing for as long as he can. Guardiola’s comments certainly don’t suggest the player is likely to rule himself out.
Both Arsenal and City will be viewing their midweek League Cup ties as a chance to rotate and rest their key players. This may be the third game in seven days for the two clubs, but it’s not one they’ll want to take lightly.