Manchester City

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John Stones says he "loves" playing in midfield and will "100%" fill the void left by Rodri if called upon by manager Pep Guardiola.

The Spain star is out for the season with a serious knee injury and speculation has begun about how Guardiola will adjust his team without the key man in his midfield.

"If called upon, 100%," Stones said when asked if he would step in from central defence. "[Rodri's injury was] difficult news for us all to take. I spoke to Rodri yesterday and he's doing well, recovered well. It's sad for the standard he's set over the past few seasons. We know what a key player he is for us and we have to look forward to him coming back. We know it's gonna be a long time.

"We have a lot of quality and there are lots of players who can fill in in that position.

"He's come to terms with it and he seems in good spirits. He's over in Spain with his family and needs to take some time now to relax and recover as best he can."

In Saturday's 1-1 draw at Newcastle, Rico Lewis started alongside Mateo Kovacic in midfield but Stones has performed the role well in the past, most notably in the 2023 Champions League final win over Inter Milan.

"It's happened a lot over the past two years," Stones said. "It was a bit different in the Champions League final. I was a bit higher up and it was a new challenge for me, one that I enjoyed. Whoever plays in midfield has played there before and knows what is asked of them by the manager.

"I love it. It's a totally different look on the game and appreciation for the game. Understanding the game, learning from a defender's point of view when to receive the ball and when to pass the ball. I always enjoy it and try to improve every time I go in there and give my best.

"That's all the manager wants from us, to go and show out qualities, because he puts us there for a reason. Then it's about going out there and doing our job."

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Should Manchester City win or draw against Slovan Bratislava, they will equal the record for the longest unbeaten run in European Cup/Champions League history.

It is currently held by Manchester United (25 games between September 2007 and May 2009). Pep Guardiola’s side have won 16 and drawn eight of their past 24 matches in the Champions League.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Newcastle and Manchester City.

Here are some of your comments:

Newcastle fans

Philip: Best performance of the season so far. The team showed the hard work and tenacity which has been missing in some games. Onwards and upwards.

Richard: Most Toon fans were expecting a hiding today even if they didn’t say it out loud. I thought we’d draw and for once I was right. I expected a reaction from the Fulham game and I expected us to up our game in the face of City. City had their injury issues but then so did we - we have Isak and Botman out remember. So, a performance to build from.

Andrew: Absolute night and day from the Fulham performance. Every single player put themselves on the line and gave everything. If we keep this level up then we're only going to get better.

Fen: The best performance so far this season. Everyone played so well - a proper team performance. We were definitely missing a prominent striker today but any player on the park looked like they could have had a chance today. Anthony Gordon is looking strong and our midfield stood up to the challenge today. Massive performance, well done lads!

Man City fans

Phil: Nick Pope saved the day with an unbelievable stop as City nearly pinched it at the death. Eddie Howe’s Newcastle are always formidable opponents, particularly at home and a point may be invaluable at the end of a long season.

Neil: Walker has cost us a goal in each of the last three matches. It is time he was rested and maybe replaced with a more accomplished full-back who has the game presence to realise when someone is behind them and not to play the opposition on-side.

Martin: In a league so tight where other teams have caught up with City, dropped points will be detrimental. What is concerning is the ease that other teams have in scoring. Only two clean sheets all season. We don't have a rock solid defence or if we do, they are not concentrating enough. We can't afford to waste chances either. More clinical please.

Alan: Tough game so soon after Arsenal but held their own and again had to deal with defensive tactics and sharp tackles. Penalty was 'made' by Gordon and poor Haaland was subdued by a compact defence. Referee had a poor game allowing some fouls and then being picky for periods of time. Best player was Gvardiol, while Newcastle's was their goalkeeper.

Manchester City are considering a move for 25-year-old Real Sociedad and Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi in the January transfer window. (Football Insider), external

Meanwhile, Manchester City have been told they will have to pay at least £70m to sign 27-year-old Italy midfielder Nicolo Barella from Inter Milan. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer 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:

• Arsenal 4-2 Leicester

• Wolves 1-2 Liverpool

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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Pep Guardiola is faced with a Rodri conundrum.

The City boss showed obvious signs of irritation at his post-match press conference being dominated by a player not available to him.

He was asked about the Spain midfielder before the game, just as he was after the midweek victory over Watford.

This is understandable. The media like talking about absent players, whether through injury or form.

But managers can’t afford to dwell on such matters, especially when the absence is long term.

Guardiola must get the best from what he has. To him, discussion about Rodri is wasted energy and has the capacity to undermine the confidence of players he can pick. At the moment they are more important than Rodri.

There will surely come a point where Guardiola decides he doesn’t want to speak about Rodri any more.

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Man City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to TNT Sports following today's draw: "[Newcastle] had moments in the first ten minutes and after their goal, but in general we played really good.

"We made bad decisions at the last minute to make it 2-0. It is always difficult here with their physicality and they defend so deep. We had chances but [Nick] Pope was brilliant so we take the point.

"When we scored we played better. We make a mistake and after they played better. But then we take the game again and had chances to win it.

On Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis: "Mateo was brilliant, Rico too. Bernardo played there. Really good."

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Despite drawing back-to-back league games for the first time since March, Manchester City have stretched their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 29 games (W23 D6). This is one behind their all-time longest such streak in the competition (30 between April 2017 and January 2018).

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Newcastle’s performance, external

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

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

Follow reaction and read the match report

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

All kick-off times BST

Follow all of the action and reaction here

BBC Radio 5 Live commentaries:

• Arsenal v Leicester

• Wolves v Liverpool

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

For week six, he takes on Maximo Park singer Paul Smith, whose latest album, Stream Of Life, is out on Friday.

Newcastle host Manchester City at 12:30 on Saturday.

Sutton's prediction: 1-3

Newcastle’s performances have not been there all season but they have been picking up results, most of the time. They could have gone top for a few hours last weekend, had they not lost at Fulham after a disappointing performance.

They have given Manchester City a good game at St James' Park in the past couple of years but, given their current form and the fact they are yet to click, I am not sure this game will be as close.

City are without Rodri but I still think they will win comfortably. Of course they will miss him, but they have players who are capable of stepping in.

Smith's prediction: 1-2

It should be a good game because Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is the kind of manager who will try and have a go at beating them, but City are just a juggernaut and will continue to do what they do, and press and press, until they score.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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Pep Guardiola said on Tuesday there were two potential outcomes to Rodri's injury scenario.

The first was a five-month absence, the second was a full ACL and eight months.

Guardiola got a call just before he was about to speak to the media this lunchtime to inform him the news was rubbish.

In fairness, he came straight out and told us all, when other managers might have been tempted to keep the news secret and release a statement at some point in the afternoon.

But once he had finished - and he spoke a lot - Guardiola will have to get his thinking cap on.

Rodri, as he has previously stated, is irreplaceable.

The most like-for-like player in his squad is Mateo Kovacic but, in reality, he will have to tweak his tactics and rely on two or more to fill the breach.

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Mikel Arteta insists his friendship with Pep Guardiola will not be damaged as Arsenal aim to dethrone Premier League champions Manchester City.

Following an ill-tempered and dramatic 2-2 draw between the sides last weekend, Arteta made clear that his "personal relationship" with Guardiola will not be affected by sport.

Speaking ahead of his side's home match against Leicester City on Saturday, Arteta said: "I love him, I respect him, I admire him and I admire his team and everything that he does. This is sport. One thing is our profession, another is our personal relationship."

The Gunners have finished second behind City in the last two campaigns, finishing five and two points behind them respectively.

"If our relationship was damaged because one draws and the other one wins or the amount of times that they've beaten us, I would not talk to him any more," Arteta continued.

"So that's not our relationship, especially the relationship that I consider both of us have. In sport it will never get in my way, a personal relationship, that's for sure.

"The things that you really care about, make sure you handle them in the right way. That relationship I really care about."

Arteta responded to criticism of the tactics he used against Manchester City, as his side played the entire second half with 10 men: "If you don't like opinions then you shouldn't be sitting in the position that I am. It's quite simple. Don't take it personally. It's part of our job."

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Earlier, we asked you for the two players who have scored more Premier League goals for Manchester City than Erling Haaland.

Sergio Aguero scored 184 times while Raheem Sterling has 91 in the top flight for City.