In Focus: Red-hot Rodri can take on Gundo role at Man City

Rodri was Manchester City's match winner in their narrow 2-1 victory at Sheffield United last Sunday.

The Spanish midfielder, 27, capitalised on a loose ball in the penalty box and fired a shot into the top corner with his weaker left foot.

His late strike came just three minutes after Jayden Bogle's equaliser at Bramall Lane and is more evidence that he is starting to take on additional responsibility in the final third.

We take a look at the evolving role of arguably City's most important player, who famously bagged the only goal in last season's Champions League final triumph over Inter Milan.

Goal-getter

Rodri's goal against the Blades was his second of the season after he found the back of the net in the 3-0 win at Burnley on the Premier League's opening night, already equalling his total in the top flight last term.

He also assisted Erling Haaland's opener at Turf Moor with a clever headed pass after the hosts failed to clear a corner.

But Rodri's prolificacy in the opening weeks of this campaign should not come as the biggest of surprises.

In 2021-22, the ex-Atletico Madrid lynchpin bagged seven league goals in just 33 appearances, including City's equaliser in their dramatic 3-2 final day victory over Aston Villa which secured the title.

New partner

However, it is clear that Rodri is being afforded more opportunities to join the attack rather than operating solely as a defensive midfielder and relying on accurate long shots for goals.

And the 43-cap international has claimed it is down to the arrival of Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea, who sits deeper than his predecessor Ilkay Gundogan.

On his goalscoring ability, Rodri said: "I think I can improve in these terms even though I know it is not my role.

"I know I can do it and in some situations where I read the games and pay attention to the strikers and the wingers I can take advantage of this space in the final third that they generate. I'm trying to improve in this sense. 

"Ilkay and Kevin [De Bruyne] played much higher than me so I needed to cover them but now with Mateo I can go forward more.

"He's a very experienced player and a smart player. It's easy to play with him. He has a special ability to break lines with the ball and he speaks fluent Spanish so it is even easier to communicate with him."

Gundogan replacement

Instead of Kovacic being Gundogan's heir, Rodri looks a more natural candidate to try and replicate the output of City's former captain.

The German maestro — who joined Barcelona this summer — scored eight Premier League goals last season to help the Citizens win the title, with his best figures coming in 2020-21 when he registered 13 top-flight strikes from just 28 appearances.

Reaching double figures may be a stretch for Rodri due to the fact that he will still have more defensive responsibility on his shoulders than Gundogan ever had.

But given Kovacic scored just six times in 221 games across all competitions for Chelsea — and has only 24 senior club goals overall — his new Spanish colleague appears far more suited to the more goal-focused midfield role.