It was a pleasant week for Pep Guardiola & Co. They took the heat to Real Madrid in their backyard and nearly walked away with a win, if not for a Valverde stunner. However, there was a visible concern among the Manchester City faithful regarding Phil Foden. The Englishman dazzled at the Santiago Bernabeu and even scored a sublime goal but was substituted in the closing stages due to a ‘dead leg’.

With the English champions set to take on Luton Town in a crucial game tomorrow, Pep Guardiola offered an update on Phil Foden and other injured players Kyle Walker and Ederson. Furthermore, he nonchalantly answered Rodri’s request for a rest.

In his latest presser, Guardiola was asked about Foden’s fitness. The Spaniard said, “I didn’t see the team, I didn’t speak with the doctors, we have training this afternoon, and we have a meeting and we will see how they feel.” It is worth noting that Foden, along with De Bruyne, was spotted taking part in a recovery session in Madrid on Wednesday. Hence, it will be fascinating to see if Guardiola plays the superstar duo tomorrow or rest them with Madrid on the horizon.

Moreover, the Spaniard remained silent regarding Kyle Walker, who was injured on international duty. When questioned about his availability, Guardiola said, “I don’t know.” Likewise, Nathan Ake also missed Manchester City’s last match due to a calf issue and is unlikely to be available tomorrow. However, there is good news as Manchester City’s first-choice goalkeeper, Ederson Moraes, has recovered from his thigh injury. According to Guardiola, the Brazilian is ready to start matches again, and his participation in the Luton game will be decided soon.

Yet, the headline maker is Rodri. The midfielder recently asked to be rested. The manager’s response was, “If a player doesn’t want to play, he won’t play. If they are too tired.” However, considering the Spaniard’s importance to the Citizens, can Guardiola really do without Rodri?

Rodri as important to Manchester City as Erling Haaland per Guardiola

Manchester City is unbeaten in 66 games in all competitions with Rodri. Also, all 3 of their league defeats this season have come without the Spaniard. As such, Guardiola put Rodri on the same pedestal as Erling Haaland. He had said, “He’s the same level as Erling [Haaland] without scoring the goals Erling scores.” Furthermore, it is worth noting the club does not have a viable alternative to Rodri.

The other defensive midfielder in the squad, Kalvin Phillips, is on loan at West Ham United. Moreover, the Premier League title race is heating up, and Manchester City has just seven games remaining. With the Sky Blues trailing Liverpool and Arsenal, dropping points could be catastrophic. Hence, it remains to see if Guardiola stays by his word of resting his talismanic midfielder.

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