Pep Guardiola names three replacements for Rodri - including Man City wildcard

Manchester City brag Pep Guardiola has a large enactment headache aft Rodri’s semipermanent wounded stroke was confirmed but helium has revealed who could play successful the midfielder’s spot against Newcastle

Pep Guardiola has stressed that helium is blessed with options to assistance him with Rodri’s wounded bombshell.

The Spanish midfielder has been ruled retired for the remainder of the run after picking up a superior genu wounded against Arsenal. There were archetypal fears for Manchester City fixed however cardinal Rodri has been since his determination from Atletico Madrid.

But Guardiola has played down specified speech and suggested that helium has plentifulness of players susceptible of stepping successful for the Spaniard. That includes a astonishment relation for defender John Stones successful the bosom of City’s midfield.

"Mateo Kovacic and I person a fewer more,” speaking successful his pre-match property league up of this weekend’s travel to Newcastle, Guardiola said. "Ilkay Gündogan tin play successful that position, John Stones person too. We person alternatives."

Should Stones beryllium deployed successful midfield, it would not beryllium unfamiliar to the defender. He has regularly been tasked with a much precocious relation by Guardiola successful the past.

Opening up connected the role, helium said: “It goes backmost to learning. Playing successful determination you admit different people’s roles and spot their positions from a antithetic perspective.

“You realise erstwhile sometimes I mightiness springiness a walk into a midfielder but being connected the receiving extremity of that, you cognize that that’s the incorrect walk oregon the incorrect presumption to springiness it. You admit idiosyncratic else’s relation successful the team.”

One antheral who won’t beryllium an enactment for City for the coming play is Kalvin Phillips. A imaginable callback from his indebtedness spell astatine newly-promoted Ipswich was suggested arsenic an option.

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But that volition not beryllium imaginable aft the Tractor Boys confirmed that determination was nary callback clause written into the deal. In the meantime, Guardiola has suggested that Rodri whitethorn not instrumentality to his champion for astatine slightest a mates of seasons.

He added: "We don’t privation it but successful shot it happens. It’s pity due to the fact that it’s a agelong wounded - eight, 9 months - but aft it’s not similar successful 1 period you’re going to beryllium ready. After that travel the muscular injuries truthful you person to beryllium careful.

"When you person an ACL wounded for 9 months the twelvemonth aft you person muscular problems for sure. So that’s wherefore it’s longer [than 9 months]. I deliberation Rodri volition beryllium astatine his champion not conscionable aft 9 months but it is what it is. We person magnificent players and volition find a solution and spot what happens."

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