Reijnders is in high form right when Man City needs it
The Dutch player once again proved his ability to "eat" goals when facing Chelsea. Last season, Reijnders scored 10 goals in Serie A - an impressive number for a central midfielder. And after increasing the total goals in the Premier League this season to 5 with a goal against Chelsea, he is aiming to recreate that achievement.
Reijnders started the season with a goal against Wolves, but did not always have a starting spot under Guardiola. However, since returning to the starting lineup in mid-December last year, he has scored in 3 of his last 4 matches.
In the match against Chelsea, the 27-year-old player was positioned to the left and appeared dangerous from the start with surges from the second line, penetrating deep into the penalty area, making it very difficult for the opponent to mark him. He once compared himself to Kevin De Bruyne, but in terms of his playing style and how to choose the time to penetrate, Reijnders has more features of Ilkay Gundogan.
If they continue to maintain scoring efficiency and reach the two-digit mark before the season ends, Reijnders will help Man City significantly reduce the scoring burden for Erling Haaland. Currently, the Norwegian striker is no longer the team's almost only scoring source.
Rodri passed the test
At this time - nearly 18 months after a knee ligament injury - Rodri's top priority is to leave the field safely, without any further problems.
The match against Chelsea marked his first start for Man City after 3 months, and there were a few moments that made people hold their breath. Rodri fell after a collision with Reece James in the middle of the first half, then continued to suffer a more fierce situation in the second half. After another dispute with James, this midfielder appeared in pain and for a moment, Man City's bench could not avoid worrying.
It has been almost 18 months since Rodri suffered a knee ligament injury, and his recovery process is not smooth. It is understandable that he has not reached his best condition after a long absence.
Before Chelsea, there was a time when Rodri lacked sharpness in handling, but there were also intelligent positioning and lethal passes that were his brand.
Nico Gonzalez, the backup option, has made significant progress this season. However, Guardiola understands that he needs Rodri to reach optimal fitness if Man City wants to chase Arsenal in the race for the top spot. Therefore, Rodri playing 90 minutes is a positive sign, and it will be even more valuable if he can continue to be in the squad to face Brighton.
Gvardiol's injury is a big loss for Man City
Although Rodri's return is a positive sign for Man City, losing Josko Gvardiol for any period of time will also be a significant loss.
The Croatian defender was forced to leave the field after a collision with Malo Gusto in the second half. He limped off the field and finally needed Reece James and a member of Man City's medical team to support him.
Last season, Guardiola once called Gvardiol a warrior, because he is always ready to play whenever the team falls into a crisis of injury. At this time, the Spanish coach needs the 23-year-old player to return as soon as possible, because if Gvardiol has to rest for a long time, Man City will immediately have problems in the center-back position.
John Stones is still injured and has not started any matches in the league since October, while Nathan Ake is also not in good form, even injured in the 0-0 draw with Sunderland. Abdukodir Khusanov replaced Gvardiol, but there is still doubt about his ability to be reliable enough for a long-term starting spot, especially in the center-back role.
The troubles in Guardiola's defense are in danger of piling up when Ruben Dias had to leave the field at the end of the match and Nico O'Reilly suffered a hamstring injury. That is a bad sign for Man City, because they controlled the game quite well before the patchy defense was punished with a late goal.
