Pep Guardiola confirms Rodri injury timescale with massive Liverpool Premier League title impact

Pep Guardiola has confirmed Rodri will miss the rest of the Premier League season. The Spanish midfielder limped off after just 20 minutes, during the first half of Man City's clash with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium last weekend.

Guardiola said: "He had surgery this morning, ACL and some meniscus. This season is over." The City boss added: "It is what it is at that level. We are here to support him. Good recovery, step by step and we move forward."

Ilkay Gundogen, who re-signed from Barcelona this summer, is likely to fill the void as City continue their quest for yet another Premier League trophy. Guardiola also mentioned the likes of Mateo Kovacic and John Stones as viable replacements for one of his star men.

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The City boss always weighed in with thoughts on whether the workload of players had a role in his midfielder's injury, he explained: "I am not a doctor. I don’t know. Nobody knows.

"I have an opinion on that but the international team wanted to do the best for him. It is not absolutely related to the international team."

When asked if a January replacement is likely, he responded: "We will talk, we will see what is going on. We have time to see."

However, Guardiola did concede the importance of the Spanish centre-midfielder, he admitted: "If we don’t win then it is because of Rodri. We are stronger with him and stronger with Ake and Bobb and Kevin but that is what it is.

"We don’t want it but it is football. As a club we have magnificent players and we will find a solution."

Next up for City is a tricky trip to St James' Park where they will face Newcastle United in the early kick-off (12:30pm BST) on Saturday, 27 October. Last season, Kevin de Bruyne put in an impressive performance, after returning from injury at Newcastle. The champions were trailing 2-1 before the Belgian equalised on 74 minutes before providing an sumptuous assist for Oscar Bobb's 91st-minute winner.