In the recent clash against Tottenham, Jack Grealish and Rodri each received their fifth yellow cards of the season, sidelining them for Manchester City’s upcoming game against Aston Villa. Rodri’s booking, incurred in the 34th minute, resulted from a deliberate foul on Pedro Porro during a counterattack. Grealish, who came on as a substitute, earned his yellow card for time-wasting by kicking the ball after a free kick.
Both players’ absence from the crucial Villa Park match holds particular significance for Grealish, who developed as a player at Aston Villa. Rodri had previously served a three-game suspension for violent conduct earlier in the season, stemming from an altercation where he grabbed Morgan Gibbs-White by the throat.
Notably, during Rodri’s prior suspension, Manchester City faced setbacks in all three domestic games. They were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Newcastle United and suffered defeats against Wolves and Arsenal in the league. In Rodri’s absence, manager Pep Guardiola experimented with tactical variations, deploying midfielders such as Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic, Rico Lewis, and Kalvin Phillips in the defensive midfield role.
The upcoming clash against Villa presents a formidable challenge, especially with Rodri unavailable. Villa boasts an impressive home record, winning 10 out of their 11 home games across all competitions, including their last seven. Despite a late draw against Bournemouth in their recent outing, Ollie Watkins’ 90th-minute header secured a 2-2 score at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.
