Just after receiving good news about Rodri, Man City still lose 4 key players

Before traveling to Brentford for the 7th round of the Premier League, Pep Guardiola shared significant information regarding Man City's player availability.

The Manchester blue team recently suffered a disappointing 2-2 draw against Monaco in the Champions League, where they took the lead twice but conceded a penalty goal to allow the opponent to equalize late in the game.

One of Guardiola's biggest concerns is the condition of key midfielder Rodri. The Spanish star played 60 minutes against Monaco and showed positive signs of recovery from his knee injury. Pep admitted he cannot have Rodri play three matches every week continuously yet, but it is very likely he will feature against Brentford. “Everything is progressing well, Rodri is fully capable of playing this weekend,” Pep stated.

However, Man City will be without four other important players. Defender Abdukodir Khusanov, who had secured a starting spot on the right flank, sustained an injury of unknown severity after the draw with Arsenal and is expected to return only after the international break.

Meanwhile, Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush suffered a knee injury while on international duty, had to leave the field after only nine minutes, and is expected to return in the match against Everton. Young star Rayan Cherki has not yet been able to participate despite resuming training, as he needs more time to regain fitness and Pep Guardiola does not want to take risks.

New signing Rayan Ait-Nouri, valued at £31 million, is currently recovering from an ankle injury and is expected to return after the international break later this month.

Although Man City have not played exceptionally well, they are currently on a six-match unbeaten run across all competitions. The game against Brentford will be an opportunity for Pep Guardiola’s team to extend this streak before the international fixtures. Despite the affected squad, Rodri’s return will bring crucial balance to the midfield, helping City confidently aim for a victory to keep pace with the Premier League leaders.