Arsenal has been gifted a significant advantage leading up to their anticipated Premier League clash with Manchester City next month. City’s star midfielder, Rodri, will be sidelined due to suspension following a red card he received during their encounter against Nottingham Forest.
In the match at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola’s squad stormed ahead with a 2-0 lead, courtesy of early goals from Phil Foden and Erling Haaland.
However, City’s fortunes took a turn when Rodri was shown a red card in the second half for an incident involving Forest’s playmaker, Morgan Gibbs-White.
This setback means that Rodri will be absent when City faces Arsenal, a considerable loss considering his crucial role in Guardiola’s midfield setup.
Rodri, a former Atletico Madrid standout, has earned a reputation as one of Europe’s most consistent defensive midfielders in recent seasons, with even a last-minute winning goal against Arsenal during the 2021/22 campaign to his name.
In the previous season, City convincingly defeated Arsenal both at home and away, marking a 3-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium and a comprehensive 4-1 win in April.
Arsenal, now eager to avenge those defeats, will first go head-to-head with local rivals Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday. Both teams have collected 13 points from their initial five league matches this season, a tally exceeded only by City.
