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Man City finally find their best Rodri replacements at Arsenal pep Guardiola detected him after defeat at Emirates.

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The talking points as Manchester City took on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in a huge Premier League encounter.

 

Given recent decisions in the Premier League, Mateo Kovacic must have feared the worst when he caught Martin Odegaard with his studs up on the follow-through in a fiercely-contested first half at the Emirates between Manchester City and Arsenal.

 

Liverpool’s Curtis Jones and Chelsea’s Malo Gusto saw red for similar challenges – which lacked any intent but still made contact with their opponent. However, VAR decided there was no clear and obvious error so opted against sending Kovacic off.

 

If he was lucky to escape with a yellow, he was pushing that luck to the limit minutes later when he slid in and caught Declan Rice late. Michael Oliver immediately signalled a foul, but made it clear there would be no booking, to the anger of every Arsenal fan, player and coach. To dive in in that manner, in the circumstances, was reckless and won’t have impressed Guardiola in the same way Rodri angered him to get sent off a fortnight ago and miss this game.

 

But in a week where VAR has been at the forefront of debate, its lack of consistency would benefit City at Arsenal as they were perhaps fortunate to keep 11 men on the pitch. The general consensus was that the Jones and Malo reds were harsh, so was this VAR learning? Or were they showing inconsistency again to complete a bad week for the technology? City didn’t stop to ponder.

Stones returns in new position

In one respect, John Stones started his new season as he finished the last – dictating a big game in defensive midfield. Almost four months since the Champions League final, Stones has had to wait to play again, with his only other outing coming in the Community Shield. Injury has disrupted his summer, and here he was returning ahead of schedule after Pep Guardiola had previously ruled him out against Arsenal.

 

This was a slightly different role to the Champions League final. In Istanbul he was inverting into midfield from right-back. He was a definitive midfielder at Arsenal – and it almost worked. Even if Arsenal scored their goal after Stones’ introduction, City looked better with Bernardo then Stones in that defensive role. If Rodri was out for longer, the pair would be worth trialling as an experienced alternative to the Spaniard.

 

The fact remains, though, that City lost three games out of three without Rodri. Guardiola tried three different systems to cover his absence and none resulted in a win. Rodri’s importance was underlined in his absence – although if Stones can offer Rodri cover maybe he could end the recent search for a back-up in that position when Rodri isn’t available next time.

Title race implications

A draw would have been fair at the Emirates. Neither goalkeeper was really tested, and the midfields cancelled each other out. But just like at the Community Shield, a late Arsenal shot that was heading wide instead took a deflection to wrong-foot Ederson and send Arsenal on their way to a win. Arsenal were jubilant, City were dejected. But Guardiola and his players had insisted that this game wouldn’t define the title before the game and repeated that sentiment afterwards.

 

It’s also true that City’s six points against Arsenal were the decisive six that turned the title in their favour. If Arsenal had won both, they would be the defending champions and City wouldn’t have a treble. Arsenal’s reaction to the win was justified.

 

But City also know that they are only two points off Arsenal and Tottenham. They have chased down far bigger deficits in much shorter periods. They will be down, but not too concerned after their late heartbreak. As Guardiola also said – the home fixture in March will be a much more important one to win.

Lewis’ biggest start

Every start feels like a new milestone in Rico Lewis’ youthful career, with his midfield selection at Leipzig in the week his biggest start to date – only to be surpassed at the Emirates. This is a player Guardiola praised as one of the best youngsters he has trained on Wednesday, adding that he has the natural ability to slot into midfield unlike, say Phil Foden, who still needs time according to both himself and his manager.

 

Lewis has been selected to face Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Leeds (away), Newcastle (away), Sevilla in the Champions League and this was his second start against Arsenal. Guardiola clearly isn’t afraid of throwing him into difficult tests, and it was Lewis preferred to Foden in midfield after their partnership in Germany.

 

Except this wasn’t the same position as Wednesday for the teenager. Pushing further up, Lewis was the ‘number ten’ at times, replacing Julian Alvarez behind Erling Haaland. He’s played in both full-back roles, at number six and eight, and also on right-midfield at times. Is there anywhere he can’t play – and look like he’s been playing there for years?

Alvarez’s new position

Julian Alvarez forced himself back into the starting lineup at Arsenal with a goal and assist in the Champions League off the bench, although he wasn’t in his usual second-striker position. That role went to Lewis, forcing Alvarez out to the right where he was asked to drift inside when Kyle Walker pushed up, and provide width when Walker didn’t.

 

It was, in effect, the role that Bernardo Silva has looked good in so far this season, and also Phil Foden, meaning Alvarez is now the third player capable of inverting from the wing. This was only his third outing for City on the right wing – despite arriving as a player who played more out wide than through the middle.

 

And the position change was possible due to Bernardo’s dropping back into defensive midfield as Rodri served his final game out. Bernardo has always looked good in defensive midfield, and was a useful addition to the double pivot, reminding Guardiola that he is another player who can play in a number of positions.

 

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