At a Glance:
- Arsenal’s Premier League titles remain alive.
- Manchester City are suffering an issue that is not being discussed since Arsenal’s 2-1 loss.
- It could steer Mikel Arteta towards his first league title win at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal not only surrendered three points in their 2-1 loss to Manchester City but psychologically, they might have given Pep Guardiola’s side the boost to get over the line and win the Premier League title.
However, City are still trailing three points behind the Gunners with a game in hand and despite their statement victory on Sunday, the title race has not been decided.
How Manchester City’s thoroughbred winners such as Bernardo Silva, Rodri and Erling Haaland shone on the weekend further emphasised the value of having seasoned campaigners in any side.
Wayne Rooney reckons Arsenal win the title and at the end of the day, Mikel Arteta has to ensure his players bounce back from their latest setback.
Rodri injury could give Arsenal edge over Man City in title race
While Arsenal would not be wishing injuries on any Manchester City players, Pep Guardiola confirmed that Rodri has injured his groin. Based on the fact that he asked to be taken off on Sunday, the Spaniard could be sidelined in the foreseeable future.
Guardiola said via Manchester City’s official website: “I don’t know how long Rodri will be out. [It’s the] groin I think the doctor said but we will see. We will make a test tonight or tomorrow.”
Rodri was arguably City’s standout player against Arsenal and with the 29-year-old still being his side’s go-to controller while expertly anchoring their back four as well, the Sky Blues could really struggle in his absence.
| Rodri vs Arsenal | Stats |
| Accurate passes | 69/74 |
| Passes in the final third | 9 |
| Dribbled past | 0 |
| Duels won | 9/12 |
While Nico Gonzalez served as an excellent deputy when the Ballon d’Or had a tough time through injury, he has yet to experience the pressure of playing a vital role for a side who have won a league title.
Furthermore, Nico lacks Rodri’s ability to run a game singlehandedly and lacks his press-resistance and expansive as a passer from the number six role.
Ultimately though, if Arsenal are to win the title, their top dogs must step up to the plate, such as Gabriel and Kai Havertz, who struggled against Manchester City as two among several other players.
Nico Gonzalez’s record at Man City
While the extent of Rodri’s injury remains unknown, Physio Scout have revealed that he could be out for one to six weeks depending upon how serious the midfielder’s latest setback is.
Rodri had to come off with a groin injury in Man City vs. Arsenal after asking to be substituted towards the end of the second half.
— Physio Scout | Football Injury Analysis (@physioscout) April 20, 2026
Pep Guardiola confirmed the issue looked to be in the groin/adductor region, with tests planned after the game.
Possible Recovery Times:
Grade… pic.twitter.com/l7lTYtNg2G
Considering the competition where both Manchester City and Arsenal are going head-to-head with each other is the Premier League, it would be interesting to assess Nico’s winning record as a starter in the English top-flight.
The former Porto midfielder started in nine league games last season, winning six, losing two and drawing one match.
This campaign, Nico has won 12 while losing and drawn two games apiece across 16 league starts in total but whether his record is as good in a title race could be an interesting development to see.
Mikel Arteta would like to become a Premier League champion by beating the best and that includes a Manchester City side that features Rodri.
