Rodri hands Manchester City major injury scare after being forced off against Arsenal

Manchester City could be without key midfielder Rodri for a spell, as he limped off during their game against Arsenal.

Rodri’s struggles began just two seconds into the match when he was knocked down by Kai Havertz in a heavy collision, leaving him on the ground for nearly two minutes.

Despite the rough start, Rodri continued to play, contributing to City’s attack.

However, after Erling Haaland gave City the lead, Rodri went down awkwardly as a corner was delivered, prompting penalty appeals from the crowd.

In reality, Rodri had caught his studs in the turf, appearing to twist his knee in the process.

He went down in obvious discomfort, immediately drawing the attention of City’s medical team.

After receiving treatment on the field, Rodri was able to limp off but had to be replaced by Mateo Kovacic.

As he passed Pep Guardiola on the sidelines, Rodri shook his head, an ominous sign, before heading straight down the tunnel for further assessment.

This potential injury comes as another blow for City, who were already without playmaker Kevin De Bruyne.

The Belgian wasn’t fit enough to make the matchday squad due to an injury sustained in the Champions League final against Inter Milan.

Guardiola had downplayed De Bruyne’s issue in a pre-match interview, describing it as “not a big, big injury.”

However, the City boss will likely face more questions about the fitness of both Rodri and De Bruyne during his post-match media duties.

Arsenal quickly capitalized on Rodri’s exit, with Ricardo Calafiori equalizing midway through the first half.

In addition to Rodri and De Bruyne, City are also dealing with long-term injury concerns for Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb.

The Blues have a quick turnaround, with a Carabao Cup tie against Watford just 48 hours after the Arsenal match, adding to their injury management challenges.

Read more: Trent Alexander-Arnold reveals what it will take to sign new Liverpool contract

Liverpool defender bitten during altercation that saw him sent off for Blackburn Rovers at Preston North End

Kelleher’s assesses Liverpool’s performance in Bournemouth win