Manchester City travel to Selhurst Park today aiming to keep pressure on Arsenal, but they must do so without Rodri, who remains unavailable as he continues recovery from a long-running hamstring issue. The Ballon d’Or winner has managed just one minute of action in more than two months, and although training intensity has increased, City insist they will not jeopardise his long-term fitness.
Pep Guardiola’s absence from Friday’s press conference due to a personal matter left assistant Kolo Touré to deliver the update. “Rodri is training well… looking sharper,” he said, “but we won’t see him for the weekend.” The midfielder’s prolonged spell out comes after missing most of last season with an ACL injury, and while Guardiola stresses there has been no setback, the player remains “weeks away” from returning.
City head into the Palace fixture on a four-match winning run, including an impressive midweek Champions League victory at Real Madrid. Guardiola fielded an unchanged XI for that game — the same side that beat Sunderland — reflecting a belief that rhythm is currently more valuable than rotation. But with the schedule tightening, changes are likely.
Squad depth gives Guardiola options as rotation looms
City’s back four is functioning superbly: Matheus Nunes at right-back, Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol centrally, and young Nico O’Reilly continuing at left-back. Behind them, Gianluigi Donnarumma’s presence has added authority in goal.
Further forward, Tijjani Reijnders is pushing for minutes, while Savinho, Oscar Bobb and Omar Marmoush are all viable attacking alternatives. For Marmoush and Rayan Aït-Nouri, this is the final club match before departing for AFCON duty.
Predicted Man City XI (4-3-3)
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; González, Silva, Reijnders; Foden, Haaland, Doku
Injured: Rodri, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic
Kick-off: 2pm GMT, Sunday 14 December 2025
Venue: Selhurst Park, London
TV: Sky Sports
Rodri’s absence felt — but City’s structure is holding
In our view, City deserve credit for how seamlessly they’ve adapted without their most influential controller. Having followed Guardiola teams closely, City usually struggle when Rodri is missing — but this season, their shape has been more pragmatic, allowing others to share the burden. Still, relying on such a distributed midfield approach is risky. Although some suggest City look unaffected, it’s worth questioning whether they can sustain this without dropping rhythm in tougher fixtures.
Touré’s comments also point to careful management rather than urgency. That suggests City believe the title race will be defined later in the season — and they want Rodri fully fit for the decisive run, not rushing him for December.
Key Insights
- Rodri still “weeks away” despite positive rehabilitation signs.
- City unbeaten in four and considering rotation at Palace.
- Reijnders, Marmoush and Savinho pushing for starts.
- AFCON departures limit options after this weekend.
What’s Next
City face a crucial stretch heading into the festive period, with Guardiola weighing whether to lean on consistency or introduce fresh legs. Rodri’s timeline remains the biggest question — but with momentum building, City believe they can manage the gap until their midfield anchor returns.
👉 City fans — should Guardiola rotate heavily at Palace or keep the Madrid-winning XI?
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