I know just how Rodri will feel after Man City setback but Newcastle must capitalise on misfortune
Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer believes injury to Rodri will present Eddie Howe's side with an opportunity to go and make the most of someone else's misfortune.
Man City head to St. James' Park this weekend looking to bounce back from their 2-2 draw with Arsenal, but will have to do so without midfield maestro Rodri. Pep Guardiola's side look set to be without the world class schemer after he injured his knee ligaments last weekend.
City boast an impressive win per cent ratio with Rodri in the side, having won 74 per cent and lost 11 per cent of games since 2019. In his absence, City have lost 24 per cent of games and won 64 per cent of games, presenting Newcastle and Howe with an opportunity this weekend.
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"I've been there myself in terms of an ACL injury and I was out for six or seven months so I know exactly how Rodri will feel and how the football club will feel," Shearer told Betfair. " It's a long road back. It's horrible, it really is. It's devastating because what you love doing most is going into training, having the craic with the lads, then obviously playing football, and that's been taken away from you for however long.
"Whether it's five months, six months, seven months or whatever it may be, it's a long road back. You've got the operation, if Rodri is going to have that, then you're in a rest period and then you're in rehab period. It's a long road back and you have to be really strong mentally to get over it.
"There's no doubt that Man City have some good players to come in and maybe they'll dip into the transfer market in January if they can, but in terms of exactly how much it affects the title race we'll have to wait and see. In terms of an impact, it does have one.
"It has an impact for Man City in terms of them being hurt, and it also has one for the rest of the league who are chasing Man City, particularly the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool or whoever that may be. There isn't anyone better in world football than Rodri at what he does, so to have him out for that amount of time is a huge blow to Man City.
"If you lost someone who was a squad player or someone you could replace, it's still a big blow, but not so much when you've got someone of equal ability to come, Man City don't have that because Rodri is the best at what he does in world football, so that'll give other clubs the opportunity to go and make the most of someone else's misfortune."