Man City shown Rodri solution vs Young Boys but midfield problem could return

You would have forgiven Pep Guardiola for never wanting to rest Rodri again after what happened during his suspension, but then that was never likely to be an option with a player who raised his concerns about the number of games he played last season with Manchester City.

Rodri made 56 appearances last season and clocked up 4,465 minutes on the way to the treble, but he knew that wasn't sustainable. He earned an enforced rest earlier this season after getting sent off but City lost all three games without him.

Whatever Guardiola tried against Newcastle, Wolves and Arsenal didn't work, but perhaps the absence of Rodri was only half the dilemma. Kalvin Phillips and Mateo Kovacic floundered in the holding role without him, but had they had John Stones for support then maybe it would have been a different story.

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The win against Young Boys was only his fourth start since the Community Shield and he lasted just 45 minutes before suffering a recurrence of his injury. He now faces another period on the sidelines and that is a blow for City. It makes Rodri undroppable once again.

Stones' ability to cruise seamlessly into that deep midfield role and set a metronomic tempo for City feels vital every team he plays. You do wonder if Kovacic would have struggled so badly against Wolves at Molineux if he had support from Stones. He was putting out fires everywhere that day and was loose in possession without that simple pass that Stones so often offers. City were exposed on the counter too often and beaten for the first time this season.

Against Young Boys, Kovacic could push into a more advanced role with Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis, with