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MAN CITY RECEIVE RODRI BOOST, BUT HIDDEN CONCERNS STILL LOOM

Rodri is back in full training for Manchester City, but the club must manage his return carefully after a year of persistent niggles and injuries following his serious knee problem.

Man City Receive Rodri Boost, But Hidden Concerns Still Loom
Rodri Returns to Training - COURTESY/PHOTO

The Blues will undoubtedly benefit from Rodri's return to full Manchester City training, but we have been here before.

After suffering a knee injury against Arsenal 13 months ago, Rodri has had a patchy season as he works to regain his full fitness and form.

The midfield player, obviously, has yet to reach his peak and has been in and out of the team with problems.

After suffering a hamstring injury at Brentford during the October international break, the player expressed his wish to be healthy for Everton's visit to the Etihad earlier this month.

In the end, the Spaniard was unable to win that match and the next two at Villarreal and Aston Villa. Given his fitness concerns and his return to full training, Swansea City in the Carabao Cup also feels like a step too far.

On the comeback trail, City and Rodri need to exercise caution. The term "step-by-step" is frequently used by Pep Guardiola when talking about players getting back to full health. It has to be baby step by baby step for Rodri.

He will be the most knowledgeable about his body, but City must also be careful not to compromise long-term durability in favour of his desire to play.

The balancing act between player and club is challenging, if not impossible, but it is one that City and Rodri must master.

After suffering such a severe knee injury, players frequently experience niggles and bumps while making a full recovery. But in order to reap long-term benefits later on, the cycle must eventually be interrupted, even if it takes a little longer to recuperate today.

City may have trouble finding its rhythm until the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner can settle into regular games and find his.

TOP MANAGER: KOLO TOURE ANALYZES PEP GUARDIOLA'S AMAZING ENERGY AND PASSION

Man City coach Kolo Toure praises Pep Guardiola, revealing the manager's philosophy is to "just be you." Toure is amazed by Guardiola's lasting energy and passion after a decade in England.

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Toure Reveals Pep Guardiola's Surprising Coaching Philosophy

Kolo Toure thinks Manchester City has the world's top manager, and he shared his thoughts on working with Pep Guardiola. Toure started with City's Under-18s for a year before joining the first team coaching staff at the Etihad.

The ex-City and Arsenal defender was excited to work with Guardiola, something he had wanted to do as a player. Though that didn't happen, he took the opportunity to coach at City and then joined Guardiola's staff when Carlos Vicens left last season.

Guardiola surprised Toure, especially in their first meeting when Toure got his instructions. He's enjoying his job now.

Working with Pep Guardiola is amazing. He lets me be myself, which I didn't expect. The first thing he told me was just be you. "That's incredible," he said.

Some managers tell you what to do, but Pep wants you to express yourself because he knows everyone has something special to offer. He doesn't box you in. He lets you be the best you can be for the team. That's the best thing.

Even after Guardiola's decade in English soccer, Touré is impressed by his energy as City chases Arsenal for the league lead. Guardiola's City contract goes to the end of the 2026/27 season, and he's still setting the bar high for his staff.

The manager's energy every day is amazing. "I'm surprised by how much he still has after all these years in the league, the passion he brings to every meeting and training session," he said.

He enjoys every day, and we enjoy it too. You can see it in the games. No matter what, we have a great team spirit and lots of energy, and we fight for every ball. We try to play our style of soccer since we like to keep possession, but we can also fight when needed, which shows the team's spirit.

ERLING HAALAND JOKES: CITY STAR MOCKS ARSENAL FAN LAURA WOODS AFTER MADRID WIN

Erling Haaland had a funny live TV moment with Arsenal fan Laura Woods after Man City's win, but his ruthless form ensures Arsenal's title-race pressure is real.

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Haaland Knows His Rivalry, Fires Title Race Warning

Erling Haaland had a funny reaction on Wednesday night when he found out TNT Sports presenter Laura Woods is an Arsenal fan. This happened during a live TV interview after Manchester City beat Real Madrid 2-1 in the Champions League. The Norwegian player scored his 21st goal of the season, a penalty right before halftime.

Pep Guardiola's team has only lost three of their last 20 games. They were 10 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal a couple of weeks ago, but now they're only two points behind. Woods knows that Haaland has often been a problem for Arsenal, who haven't won the league in over 20 years.

His rivalry with Gabriel in recent games has made the competition for the top spot in English football more interesting. The funny thing is, Haaland is aware of how Arsenal fans see him.

Woods wanted to know how the Manchester City players were feeling after another big win. She asked Haaland if he thought they could catch up with Arsenal. Steve McManaman and Steven Gerrard quickly told Haaland that Woods supports Arsenal.

Haaland replied, So she probably doesn't like me then...

Haaland has played against Arsenal seven times in the Premier League and has a great record against them. He’s only lost twice, scoring five goals and assisting on two others.

So when Woods agreed that she probably doesn't like him, she was serious. She’s probably tired of seeing him. His response wasn't the only funny moment; he also joked about Mohamed Salah.

Arsenal is probably worried again.

In the past, this was the time of year when Arsenal's title hopes started to fail. They're already repeating old mistakes, dropping points in three of their last five league games: a 2-2 draw at Sunderland, a 1-1 draw against 10-man Chelsea, and a 2-1 loss at Aston Villa.

Their main rivals, Man City, are now only two points behind. If Arsenal wants to win the title, they’ll need to handle the pressure. A few weeks ago, everyone thought Arsenal would finally win the league, but now it's not so sure, and Haaland will likely have a big part to play if Arteta's team can't finish the job.

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