Are Man City football’s biggest one-man team? Stats lay bare the misery for Pep Guardiola’s side without Rodri

MANCHESTER CITY'S recent collapse has coincided with the absence of their key talisman.

But what do the statistics say about Rodri's importance?

The Spanish midfielder, 28, was painfully ruled out for the season after sustaining his cruciate ligament injury against Arsenal in September.

The damage required surgery and the lengthy recovery will keep him out of action until the 2025-2026 season.

And that means giving up the Ballon d'Or trophy he collected in Paris last month, when he was crowned the best footballer in the world thanks to his performances for City and Spain.

Asked if he is the best footballer in the world, Madrid-born Rodri told Esquire: “It's hard to explain and when you put it in those words it's even more amazing, it's scary. I've never talked about it thought.

“Life surprises you and it is an example that dreams can become reality.

“Never look beyond that, but live from day to day, trying to grow… in the end you realize that a boy like me, from a normal neighborhood, can become the best in the world.”

The spell of the midfield metronome on the touchline is being felt more keenly than even the most devout Rodri fans and Pep Guardiola could have expected.

City limped to a 1-1 draw with Newcastle and – after unconvincing one-goal wins against the likes of Fulham, Wolves and Southampton – have lost their last five games in all competitions.

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The nightmare began at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Carabao Cup before Bournemouth secured a 2-1 victory on the south coast.

Ruben Amorim's Sporting thumped City 4-1 in the Champions League and then Brighton won 2-1 at the Amex.

On Saturday, Spurs defeated Guardiola's men 4-0 in a stunning result.

And that result further cemented the dependence on Rodri's role in the team.

This season, Rodri has played just three games: he came on at half-time in the 2-1 win over Brentford, the 0-0 draw against Inter Milan and was sent off after 21 minutes after suffering a terrible knee injury against Arsenal.

It means he has missed 16 City games this season. Of those, they have won nine, drawn two and lost five, with a winning percentage of 56 percent.

But looking back at the start of the Treble-winning 2022-2023 season, when the Rodri Rolls-Royce really started rolling at a new level, the statistics uncovered make for astonishing reading.

From February 12, 2023 to May 19, 2024, Rodri was unbeaten for Manchester City – a staggering 74-match streak that was ultimately ended by rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Of course, he also scored some hugely important goals in that time, including against Bayern Munich and Inter Milan on the way to victory in the Champions League, and then against West Ham on the final day of last season to secure another Premier League win. to conquer the crown.

Across all competitions, Rodri has started 103 times for City in that time.

Of those games, City have won 75, drawn 23 and lost just five.

They averaged 2.5 goals and conceded 0.8 goals, with a win rate of 73 percent and a loss rate of just five.

However, of the 35 games he has not started in the same period, City have lost 11 – more than double despite a sample around a third the size – while the losing percentage stands at 31 per cent.

The 35 matches also include 22 wins and two draws, while the winning percentage drops to 63 percent.

City also score less (2.3 goals per game) and concede more (1.2 goals per game) when Rodri doesn't start.

And the Premier League figures in that period tell a similar story: the win rate drops from 75 percent to 58 percent, while the loss rate rises from six percent with Rodri to 37 percent without Rodri.

The number of goals scored also takes an even bigger hit, from 2.6 per match to just 1.8.

And the number of points per game is no less than 2.4 with Rodri and 1.8 without.

All in all, the facts are clear.

City suffer without Rodri and lose six times more games when he is not in the starting line-up.

Guardiola is reluctant to make drastic changes and backs his position with a trophy cabinet full of medals.

Before the Champions League match against Feyenoord, he said: “What should I change? What should I change?

“If I had changed in my first season when I was asked to change, we wouldn't have won six Premier Leagues in seven years.

“Now I'm not going to change. We are big believers in the process and the fundamental things we need to do.

“Injured players need to return to their best form. Players who have played a lot of minutes due to injuries need rest. One good result can change our minds.

“When we won a lot, I thought this too would pass and right now this too will pass. Nothing lasts forever.

'What we have to do is push. 26 [shots] is not enough? Create more and try to give in less.

“One day we will win a match and our thoughts will be clear. I hope on Tuesday, if not Sunday. The desire is there and we will try.”

But with Rodri not returning to the team anytime soon, Guardiola must discover his midfield minefield – and figure it out quickly – to get back to winning consistently before the season completely collapses.