Rodri has become Manchester City's unlikely pantomime villain

On the pitch, Rodri's brilliance comes from going unnoticed.

He's always there for Manchester City, patrolling the midfield, rarely putting a foot wrong yet playing an irreplaceable role in Pep Guardiola's system. Without Rodri, City wouldn't function to the level they do - although he's at his best when he does his role under the radar and out of the spotlight.

This week, though, away from City on international duty, Rodri has been firmly on the radar. He's riled two opposition fanbases, added a new dimension to the Premier League title race, and emerged as the Blues' unlikely pantomime villain going into the last two months of the campaign.

ALSO READ: Rodri slammed for 'classless' attack on Scotland tactics

First, Rodri upset Arsenal fans by daring to challenge for a loose ball in his own box as the opposition player wound up to shoot. He made contact with ball, and admittedly the man, in a strong-but-legal challenge. His only crime was that the player in question was Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard.

So of course, Rodri must have identified Odegaard in that split second and gone in strongly to try and injure a direct title rival... That, at least, is the view of some sections of Arsenal fans online, regardless of the fact that it's an absolutely nonsense theory.

Still, it was more headlines than Rodri usually generates, so he was perhaps grateful to have a clash with Scotland next up, where he was handed the captain's armband and will have hoped to quietly influence the game once more.

Things didn't go to plan, as Scott McTominay twice scored to give Scotland a famous win and leave Spain in another mess. After the game, Rodri called the Scottish tactics 'rubbish', pointing to their timewasting and deception to