Man City's record without Rodri boosts title rivals hope

Manchester City's worst fears may have come to life, as reports suggest Rodri is set to miss out on the rest of the season. The midfielder was forced off the pitch during the Arsenal clash on Sunday for what is believed to be an ACL injury. 

His injury is a huge blow for Manchester City, however, according to data, his absence could go as far as representing a turning point in the Premier League title race. Last season, the Citizens had been defeated just five times across all competitions. Four of the five defeats occured when Man City did not have the Spaniard on the pitch to hold their midfield - three losses in the Premier League and one loss in the Carabao Cup. The fifth defeat came in the FA Cup final against Man United, marking the first time Rodri lost a game for 74 matches, which is a European record.

Since he joined the club, Man City have won 74% the games he has featured in and lost just 11%. That said, there is a sharp drop when Rodri is absent. In the 45 games he has not taken part in, Man City's win percentage falls down 62% , meaning 23 points were dropped in 21 Premier League games without him.

According to data from 'Opta', When Rodri is unavailable City's points-per-game average decreses from 2.37 to only 1.90. This statistic will give a huge boost to Premier League rivals Arsenal, who will now fancy their title chances more than ever, given the injury of the City pillar.

 

September 23, 2024