Update on 'serious' knee injury Rodri suffered in Man City v Arsenal

An update has emerged on the 'serious' knee injury that Rodri suffered in Man City's 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League, and it's not good news for Pep Guardiola and co.

The ever-fantastic Rodri, who is firmly in the running to the Ballon d'Or this season, was taken off in the first half of Man City's game against Arsenal on September 22, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

The Spaniard looked to be in quite considerable pain, and now reports have revealed just how serious his injury is...

David Ornstein of The Athletic is reporting that while tests are still ongoing to establish the true extent of the injury that Rodri suffered on Sunday afternoon, the feeling is it's not a small knock.

Ornstein has stated that Rodri is expected to miss a 'significant period' with his 'serious' knee injury, with some fearing that the Man City midfielder may not play for his club or country for the remainder of the season.

Rodri is expected to miss a significant period with a serious knee injury. The Manchester City midfielder suffered the problem in the draw vs Arsenal. The duration not confirmed - as tests continue - but the 28-year-old international is set for a long absence.

As noted, the exact period of time that Rodri is out for hasn't been confirmed by the club or reputable journalists yet, neither has the exact injury he's dealing, but all signs point towards it being an ACL tear that would end his season.

Mateo Kovacic came on in the first-half at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, and the ex-Chelsea midfielder is expected to be the man trusted to play as his side's defensive midfielder in Rodri's absence.

Guardiola will also be counting his lucky stars that he signed Ilkay Gundogan towards the end of the window, with the ex-Barcelona midfielder able to play as both a six and an eight in the Man City system, as he has done to great success over the years.

It's always possible that Man City dip into the transfer market in January to add some midfield depth, especially if they pick up another injury between now and the end of 2024, it it looking like Rodri won't play again until the beginning of next season, at the earliest.

In the wake of Rodri's injury, and the fact they failed to beat Arsenal, Man City are no longer as far ahead in the Premier League title race as they were just a few days ago.

City are still favourites to win the Premier League, but the odds for Liverpool and Arsenal have shortened significantly, with the bookies clearly of the belief that Rodri's injury makes Guardiola's job of retaining the title harder than it would have been if he was fit.

More is expected to come out in the coming days regarding Rodri's injury, including official word from Guardiola and Man City, with Ladbrokes to keep you posted on that.

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