Manchester City are World Champions after swatting aside Fluminense in Jeddah on Friday.
08.12.2023 - 15:13 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Kevin De Bruyne has stepped up his recovery from injury in a boost to Manchester City's midfield options, but Pep Guardiola insists his side's drop in form is not down to the key midfielders he is missing.
De Bruyne hasn't featured since City's opening-day win at Burnley, while Rodri served a one-game suspension at Aston Villa as the Blues lost their third Premier League match of the campaign. In fact, City's four defeats in all competitions this season have all come when Rodri has been suspended, with their last five defeats all coinciding with Rodri's absence.
But Guardiola insisted that he takes responsibility for how City play without their key men, and that defeat at Aston Villa was not simply because Rodri didn't play.
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Regarding De Bruyne, who has been included in the Club World Cup squad but is not expected to play, Guardiola said: "I think he starts to run on the pitch but he didn't train once with us. The World Cup is in two or three weeks, so I don’t know. Maybe it’s a little bit early, but I don't know.
"Kevin is so important. I'm not going to discover Kevin, he is so important. Unfortunately he had a tough injury, three or four months. Don’t put pressure, he will be back when he will be back. He'll be back, open arms to get him.
"We have to do it together. Kevin is here? Yes. Kevin is not here? Okay we are not here waiting. Rodri is not here, I have to find a way. Last season was almost all the time there and when he is not there I have to find a way to try to survive.
"Rodri is so important,
Manchester City are World Champions after swatting aside Fluminense in Jeddah on Friday.
Manchester City are sweating over the fitness of Rodri after the Spaniard had to be taken off with an ankle injury in Friday's Club World Cup final.
Manchester City are on the brink of an historic success as they take on Brazilian giants Fluminense in the Club World Cup final.
Pep Guardiola is expected to go full strength in search of a fifth trophy of 2023 on Friday when Manchester City take on Fluminense in the Club World Cup final.
Kevin De Bruyne stepped up his recovery from hamstring surgery by continuing to train with the rest of the Manchester City squad 24 hours out from their Club World Cup final against Fluminese.
Rodri has praised his two Manchester City midfield colleagues from the FIFA Club World Cup win over Urawa Red Diamonds, predicting that Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic still have important roles to play this season.
Manchester City's Champions League matchwinner Rodri has likened the Blues' Club World Cup win over Urawa Red Diamonds to their performance against Inter Milan in Istanbul - but has told his teammates they must improve in the final on Friday.
Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden both felt 'more comfortable' after Manchester City switched things up against Urawa Red Diamonds.
Manchester City will compete in their first-ever Club World Cup this week and kick-off with a semi-final clash against Urawa Red Diamonds this evening.
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Jose Mourinho namedropped Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips when making a point about spending in a subtle dig at his long-standing dugout rival Pep Guardiola.
Tom Brady was "blown away" after his visit to the Etihad Stadium and promptly asked how Birmingham City can replicate what treble-winners Manchester City have at their disposal.
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Manchester City are expected to bounce back from their defeat to Aston Villa with a win over Luton Town.
Pep Guardiola admitted he cannot see a place for Kalvin Phillips in his current Manchester City system as he sent an extraordinary apology to the midfielder.
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Pep Guardiola believes that Manchester City will win a record fourth Premier League title in a row.