Pep Guardiola grapples with replacing ‘world’s best’ Rodri for Arsenal clash
Pep Guardiola admits trying to replace Rodri for Manchester City’s trip to Arsenal is a challenge but says he will not “cry” about the absence of a player he rates as one of the world’s best holding midfielders.
Rodri will complete a three-match ban on Sunday for his red card in last month’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest. Kalvin Phillips started the 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat at Newcastle as Rodri’s replacement while Mateo Kovacic filled the role in last Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League loss at Wolves. City are one point ahead of Arsenal and Tottenham at the top of the table.
Guardiola said: “[Rodri is] maybe the best, or in the top two or three best, holding midfielders in the world. When you have an absence as important as him you have to have a solution. I am not going to deny how important Rodri is, like how Kevin [De Bruyne] is, but when they are not here we cannot start to cry. The moment in my mind when a player is not there, he is completely out and I don’t think about it. He is not there.”
Arsenal finished second last season, five points behind City, with Guardiola insisting they are one of his side’s main title rivals again: “Absolutely – along with Liverpool from what we’ve seen. Arsenal is back to where they were when they fought with Sir Alex’s [Ferguson’s Manchester United] team. When I arrived here [in summer 2016] they were not there and now they are back.
“In the calendar you [look for] when you have to go to the Emirates Stadium. The recruitment they have done is exceptional in the summer, with [Declan] Rice and [Kai] Havertz.”
John Stones, who is recovering from a hip problem, is not available for the Arsenal game despite being an unused substitute for Wednesday’s 3-1 Champions League win at RB Leipzig. “He’s not ready to play,” Guardiola said. “Maybe for the national team [England], but not us.”
De Bruyne is expected to be out until the new year after hamstring surgery, though the manager suggested the 32-year-old’s recovery was ahead of schedule.