Rodri: Man City hopes of retaining PL title depend on midfielder availability

Manchester City have already lost three league games this season. Why? Well, Rodri was missing through suspension in all three defeats.

City started the season in perfect form with six successive league wins but the first major wobble came after Rodri received a red card during the 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest in September - losing 2-1 to Wolves and 1-0 to Arsenal in the following games during his suspension.

Rodri returned and so did another win streak - three in a row - before a run of three draws against 'Big-Six' opponents Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham, with Rodri picking up a one-match ban for receiving his fifth yellow card against Spurs.

Three days later and, without the suspended Rodri, City were uncharacteristically outplayed at Aston Villa and lost 1-0 - now sitting six points adrift of the Gunners. No Rodri, no points.

Pep Guardiola welcomes his midfield maestro back to the fold for the trip to Luton on Sunday under the Sky cameras, with Rob Edwards' side arguably ramping up the pressure on the champions after their 4-3 slugfest defeat against Arsenal in midweek.

The midfielder's influence extends beyond this campaign to his arrival at the Etihad in 2019, with City recording a lower win rate, points per game rate, scoring fewer goals and conceding more per game when Rodri is missing from the side.

Speaking after the defeat to Villa, Guardiola said: "Of course, Rodri is so important - but it's my job to find a way to win when Rodri is not there."

To compound the problem, the City boss does not appear to have a replacement for Rodri. Against Villa, Guardiola snubbed natural defensive midfielders Kalvin Phillips and Matheus Nunes in favour of natural centre-backs John Stones and Manuel Akanji as the pair in a