Guardiola: We Missed Rodri in Arsenal defeat

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has told Sky Sports post match his team missed the suspended Rodri after the Cityzens lost 1-0 at Arsenal on Sunday, their first consecutive Premier League loss for the first time since December 2018 against Crystal Palace and Leicester.

Rodri is serving a three-game ban and was unavailable against an impressive Arsenal team that matched the defending champions toe to toe.

‘Rodri’s stat is one wwe cannot deny it. But we put players to control more passes but they [Arsenal] are aggressive in these areas. We will come back and continue. We will move forward,’ Guardiola said.

Guardiola believes his team started really well with two or three chances and Arsenal started the second half really well with the rhythm.

“We tried. We did it. I think from both sides there was not a lot of chances. I think both teams did good high pressing. It was tight and in the end, one action, we lost the game.

“Ten minutes was like that [Arsenal on top] and after it was equal. We had also our moments but in general it was a tight game. Unfortunately they did it.”

On the defeat: “Yeah, of course, we can lose in Wolves as well. Now we have two defeats in a row and then we have the internationals. Hopefully they come back fit and then we go again. Maybe it is a little bit better to be there and see wat we have to do to catch them and then [we will] when we come back.

“It has happened. In Wolves it was a difficult game. Congratulations to Arsenal. We know exactly what we have to do and we do it.