A notable statistic reveals Manchester City’s struggle in the absence of Spanish midfielder and midfield linchpin Rodri.

The 27-year-old faced suspension during the treble-winners’ 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa on Wednesday night, having acquired his fifth booking of the season in City’s 3-3 draw with Tottenham. This led to John Stones taking his place at Villa Park.

The defeat to Aston Villa underscores Rodri’s importance to Pep Guardiola’s side. In the four games he has missed this campaign, City suffered losses against Wolves (2-1), Arsenal (1-0), and Villa (1-0) in the Premier League. Additionally, City were eliminated from the Carabao Cup with a 1-0 loss to Newcastle in September.

Guardiola’s team has been consistently victorious when Rodri has played this season, winning nine and drawing three Premier League matches. The only game won without the Spaniard was against Young Boys in the Champions League group stages.

Rodri’s remarkable record extends beyond the current season, remaining undefeated in his last 43 outings for Manchester City. During this impressive run, he secured 33 victories and earned ten draws. His last defeat in Sky Blue occurred in February, as Rodri and his teammates experienced a 1-0 loss to Tottenham.

This insane statistic shows why Rodri is Man City’s most influential player; no other player in the City ranks is capable of running the midfield as good as he can.