Man City ‘devastated’ by injury to star ‘more important than Rodri’ – Expert
John Stones and Ruben Dias’ injuries have been more detrimental to the recent run of poor form at Man City than the blow to Rodri.
This is according to former Man United and Blackburn Rovers chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that they have missed their two first-choice defenders.
Pep Guardiola’s side have now suffered four consecutive defeats across all competitions, sparking fears of a crisis at the Etihad amid several high-profile injuries.
The effects of Rodri’s absence have been well-documented since he suffered a knee injury in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal earlier this season.
Football Insider revealed on 10 November that their recruitment team are targeting new central midfielders in the January transfer window to help fill the gap.
However, Brown has insisted that Stones and Dias have been missed just as much, if not more than the midfielder and their return would see a turnaround in City’s form.
Stones is expected to return to the squad for the clash with Tottenham following the international break, having picked up an injury in their League Cup defeat to the same side.
Dias, meanwhile, was also forced off during that clash, and is also expected to return after the international break.
Man City dealt ‘devastating’ injury blow in new twist
Brown insisted the injuries to key defenders have “devastated” City, and while they have more than capable backups in the squad, they have found it difficult to replace the pair.
The former coach and scout, who has a wealth of experience working closely with players and managers including over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, insisted that a strong and stable defence is the key to any winning side.
“Everybody’s speaking about Rodri and his influence,” he told Football Insider.
“Rightly so, he’s a very big part of the way they play and we’re talking about the Ballon d’Or winner.
“But I’ve said it for years – every winning team I’ve ever seen or been involved with has been built on solid defensive foundations.
“You take John Stones and Ruben Dias out of this team, and all of a sudden, they’re losing games.
“They, for me, have been more of a miss and are more important to the team than Rodri.
“The players who’ve come in for them have done alright, but they’re not Stones and Dias. They leave holes open and you’ve got players running through them.
“These are issues that City weren’t having before. That’s the value of top-level defenders.
“It’s something that massively goes under the radar. Losing those two devastated City, and they’re lucky they won’t be out for any serious length of time.”
In other news, City staff are said to be concerned about Phil Foden.
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