Manchester City

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BBC pundits Chris Waddle and Micah Richards both believed Manchester City missed Rodri despite getting over the line to beat Fulham 3-2 on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola's side remain unbeaten this season but surrendered several big chances against the Cottagers, with Adama Traore in particular guilty of spurning a string of presentable openings.

"I looked at Manchester City and they looked very leggy compared to Fulham," former Newcastle and Tottenham winger Chris Waddle told Sports Report on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Rodri is hard to replace. [Ilkay] Gundogan played alongside [Mateo] Kovacic. Rodri is a different player compared to the rest of them for me. He does everything and he's a presence there as well.

"In my eyes, they did miss him."

Former City defender Richards added: "There's something with Rodri. It's not just how good a player he is, it's how he controls and dictates the game and the tempo of it.

"You look at the scoresheet, see Kovacic scored two goals and think he had a good game. But, just defensively, it is his positioning. When City have a lot of players going forward, Rodri just has the art of knowing where to be to receive the ball on the counter-attack - and against Fulham that was non-existent.

"I thought it maybe could have been a game for Kyle Walker. With the pace of Traore, Rico Lewis got caught out a couple of times."

Listen to Saturday's Sports Report on BBC Sounds

Pep Guardiola says he feared Ederson would leave Manchester City in the summer, when Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr made an offer, but he managed to convince the goalkeeper to stay. (Times - subscription required), external

City have set aside £80m to spend on players in the January transfer window, after midfielder Rodri's season-ending injury. (Football Insider), external

Want more news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Man City 3-2 Fulham

• Everton 0-0 Newcastle

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Man City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to Sky Sports: "It was intense, it was tight, chances for them, chances for us. We started well and created many chances and it was tougher when they went to five at the back. It was a risk to manage it but in the end we did.

On the goals: "The two with Kovacic were good when they had five at the back because only the striker can defend him in that situation and that makes the transitions less dangerous. We used that weapon and Kova did really well.

On replacing Rodri: "We don't have him now this season so we have to find a solution. We have Kova, Gundo, we can put John [Stones] in that role, Rico [Lewis], Manu [Akanji] so we have to find a way. Of course the presence of Rodri is important in this type of game with the transitions but we played really well."

On Jeremy Doku's winning goal: "It was really, really good. We always talk about his ability to dribble but it is then about the final pass, that last action. I was diagonal to him [when he hit the shot] and the ball made an incredible curve effect. Really happy for him. The last game against Bratislava he was really good and today as well."

On Fulham: "It is a really, really good team. Marco is a top manager who has been working there for many, many years already. They have players they bought in the summer, including the ones from Arsenal [Smith-Rowe and Nelson] and they have a lot of quality."

On keeping emotions in check and battling from behind: "We have always had the ability to do it. Like Brentford, the rest of the game we were playing really well but sometimes it [a goal] happens.

"The first goal with the pass from Jimenez was not expected by anyone so you have to give the credit to the opponent. They had more good chances too but Ederson made some incredible saves."

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Manchester City have equalled their longest unbeaten run in league football (30 games – W24 D6), previously doing so in January 2018.

Emlyn Begley
BBC Sport journalist at Etihad Stadium

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It is an undeniable fact that Manchester City are a better team with defensive midfielder Rodri starting.

But since coming off, with a season-ending injury, at 1-0 up against Arsenal they drew that game and then were held by Newcastle in their next Premier League match.

Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan have been City’s double pivot since the injury to Rodri, effectively two men replacing one.

And while neither can compare to Rodri defensively, Kovacic ended up being the game's key player.

His first goal gave City a way back into the game - especially when it looked as if Fulham could score more - and his second to give them the lead came while fans were still making their way back from half-time refreshments.

Kovacic's goals are nice but they lack that stable base without Rodri, and were left hanging on in injury time after Muniz struck.

His double here takes him up to three league goals for the season - his best tally since 2014-15 at Inter Milan

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Manchester City's performance, external

What did you make of Fulham’s display?, external

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Follow reaction and read the match report

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

It has been a hectic start to the Premier League season with some clubs making a fast start while others are yet to get going.

But whose boots are made for walking the most so far?

Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa has walked the most after six games, just 0.1 km more than Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.

Interestingly, Haaland and Bournemouth striker Antoine Semenyo walk a lot despite being forwards.

Maybe the reason why Haaland has been able to establish himself as one of the fastest players and why Semenyo has made so many sprints is that they conserve their energy for the biggest moments where they can make the most impact.

Meanwhile, it is not just distance walked that we have tracked.

Wolves’ Matheus Cunha has spent more of his time on the pitch walking than any other player in the Premier League so far.

It is also interesting that both of Tottenham’s centre-backs spend so much of their time walking, given Spurs' high possession, high pressing, style of play.

This might mean Cristiano Romero and Micky van de Ven can conserve energy for when things get a bit chaotic (or they fancy a marauding run)?

This could especially be true for van de Ven who has been the fastest player in the competition so far.

Seven matches make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Crystal Palace v Liverpool - 12:30

• Arsenal v Southampton

• Brentford v Wolves

• Leicester v Bournemouth

• Man City v Fulham (listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live)

• West Ham v Ipswich

• Everton v Newcastle - 17:30 (listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live)

Kick-off 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

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Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week seven, he takes on Will Champion and Jonny Buckland from Coldplay, whose latest album, Moon Music, came out on Friday.

Sutton's prediction: 3-0

I’ve got Fulham wrong a few times this season by underestimating them... I am still not going to back them to get anything at Etihad Stadium though.

Manchester City were not quite at it against Newcastle last weekend, whether that was down to Rodri's absence or not, and they will have to do better this time - which is what I am expecting to happen.

Fulham have got a nice balance to them, but can they keep City out? They lost this fixture 5-1 last season with Erling Haaland scoring a hat-trick and, while they might suffer less damage this time, I can still only see one outcome.

The big question, for me, is whether City keep a clean sheet. They have conceded in their past five league games, but based on the law of averages - so nothing scientific - I think that run will end here.

Will and Jonny's prediction: 3-1

Read the rest of their predictions, and have your own say here

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

There can often be a lot of focus on distances covered and sprints made by teams, but how much of a difference does it really make to their success?

When it comes to distance covered by teams it is the 'battle of the B's' with Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford having covered the most ground in the Premier League so far this season.

At the other end of the scale, bottom side Wolves have run the least so far - 5km fewer than any other side.

Initially, I thought this could be due to how difficult their start has been (i.e. sitting deep and not rushing out against top opponents), but they actually rank mid-table in pressing stats (with no players missing via red cards either).

But, it is worth noting that running a lot does not necessarily equal success.

Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Chelsea and Aston Villa have also been the 'laziest' teams so far yet have started the season well.

It is a similar story when it comes to sprints too - some good teams sprint a lot, some good teams sprint little.

Tottenham have made the most sprints in the Premier League this campaign, followed by fellow high-pressers Liverpool and Bournemouth.

But defending champions Manchester City have made the least – 60 fewer than any other team – and yet they have been pretty good so far too.

Looking at which teams have made the most sprints – Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea – and which the fewest – City, Arsenal, Villa – it suggests that playing style plays a part in how much a team sprints as well as just work rate.

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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There have been a couple of occasions since the Premier League hearing into Manchester City's alleged breaches of 115 financial regulations when Pep Guardiola has mentioned it, unprompted.

The latest was last week, when he wondered out loud whether Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had learned something about the case following his cryptic comments after the controversial 2-2 draw at Etihad Stadium earlier this month.

I thought it was worth asking Guardiola if he felt more of a need to defend his club this season due to the case and the scrutiny City are under.

His answer included a reaffirmation of how deep his feelings are for City.

"I am part of this club, inside my bones," he said. "I'm the person who talks more through the media and sends messages to fans. Of course I want to defend the club.

"I trust the owners, especially the chairman and CEO for many years. I know them well, more than any of you."

From that, I take it Guardiola is confident in City's success.

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Six games down and players are racking up the mileage in the Premier League. But who has been hitting the top marks so far?

Southampton’s Flynn Downes has put in the biggest shift, covering almost five kilometres more distance than any other player in the Premier League so far.

It is also notable too that striker Kai Havertz is working hard for the Arsenal cause as they challenge for the title once again, while Dwight McNeil is backing up his early goalscoring with some serious work rate.

Already the fastest player in Premier League history after clocking 37.8km/h against Brentford last campaign, it is no real surprise to find that Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven has been the fastest over the first six games.

However, it is also notable to see Manchester City's ruthless forward Erling Haaland up there too. Speed just one part of the monstrous physicality that gets him so many chances and goals.

Finally, what about the most sprints?

That goes to Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon who has made the most sprints in the Premier League so far this term.

He is 'running' away with it too, having clocked up 13 more than any other player.

Tasnim Chowdhury
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Fulham (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Nathan Ake, Kevin de Bruyne, Rodri and Oscar Bobb remain out.

• He was asked about De Bruyne asking not to play in the international fixtures for Belgium in November: "How can you play for the national team when you have not played [for your club]? I never understood that. He did not say he will retire from Belgium to me. For that game, he is injured so he is not available."

• On City fans creating a banner in Catalan asking him to stay at the club: "They have to bring me the bill - I have to pay for the banner! I don't want [them] to spend money for that reason. What can I say? Thank you so much. I fell in love the first day I arrived here."

• On his future given his contract expires at the end of the season: "I'm not going to talk about this subject. When it's going to happen, it's going to happen."

• On whether he needs to defend the club: "I'm part of this club, deep inside of my bones and the best way to defend the club is winning games and doing my job as best as possible. We cannot misunderstand why I am here, I am the manager - the person at the club who talks more through all the media [and] to send messages to fans. And, of course I am going to defend my club, I trust [them]."

• On new Fifa regulations that sides playing in the Club World Cup in 2025 must take their ‘strongest’ squad: "What is the strongest players? Which ones? I don't understand. We will take all the squad there - we won't go for one game. I don't know how this player is better than this one. Maybe the strongest player for [Fifa] will be in a bad condition for many reasons. Professional, personal, injuries."

• On the form of opponents Fulham, who have not lost since the opening day but have been beaten 16 times in a row by City: "The only record I see is the past six games since the first defeat against [Manchester] United. They didn't lose. They bought interesting players there, especially [Joachim] Andersen, and they have experience, They have a lot of weapons and speed."

• Guardiola picked out the players he expected to trouble City: "[Alex] Iwobi - I have never seen him in the form that he is playing now. Adama [Traore] always creates problems. [Raul] Jimenez is back [and he] always has been tough."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to full commentary of Manchester City v Fulham from 15:00 BST on BBC Sounds