Liverpool know all too nicely how long-term accidents to key personnel can derail a season, and with Man Metropolis now at a crossroads, the Reds have to be ready.
Matchday 5 and a routine set-piece morphs right into a nightmare for the reigning champions. Rodri, Man Metropolis‘s indispensable midfield anchor, drops to the turf clutching his knee.
The ultimate whistle brings a 2-2 draw, however the true story was already written: the harm to Rodri – and what it might imply for Metropolis’s season.
Liverpool followers have seen this script earlier than. In 2020, Virgil van Dijk suffered a season-ending harm at the very same level, and the title defence crumbled.
May Metropolis now face an identical destiny? And, extra importantly for us, are Liverpool able to take benefit if that’s the case?
Classes from Van Dijk’s harm
In his first full season at Anfield, Van Dijk performed each minute of each league match. He did the identical within the following marketing campaign, enshrining his standing because the Reds’ defensive colossus.
With that degree of consistency, the Dutchman appeared indestructible, so the ACL tear got here as a hammer blow.
Despite this, Liverpool had been nonetheless prime of the Premier League at Christmas – over two months later. The true collapse got here after additional accidents hit the already skinny defence.
Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, whose roles had been diminished by Van Dijk’s relentless availability, had been thrust into enjoying extra minutes than their our bodies might deal with.
Each succumbed to long-term accidents and what was initially a wobble in Liverpool’s title defence was a full-on disaster.
Rodri’s function in Metropolis’s success
Rodri has been an virtually unmovable object in Metropolis’s system since arriving in 2018, lacking simply 5 video games to harm till now.
He has been Pep Guardiola’s tactical cornerstone, enjoying a unprecedented variety of minutes – 4,327 final season alone, 256 greater than Van Dijk managed in 2023/24 and eight full video games greater than Liverpool’s second most-used, Luis Diaz.
In Rodri’s absence, Metropolis faltered, shedding all three Premier League video games he missed.
Now, Metropolis are pressured to depend on backups who merely haven’t performed as many minutes.
Mateo Kovacic, subbed on for Rodri final weekend, had a number of harm points at Chelsea. Upon transferring to Metropolis final 12 months he performed simply 1,548 minutes – scarcely 1 / 4 of the Spaniard’s load.
Metropolis’s different choices are Matheus Nunes, who began simply seven league video games final season, and 33-year-old Ilkay Gundogan, who’s already a daily starter.
Guardiola is understood for his tactical flexibility, however transferring gamers out of their pure positions can include its personal dangers. He might flip to defenders Rico Lewis or John Stones, however Reds know all too nicely what occurs once you begin shifting gamers round.
Throughout their harm disaster, Jurgen Klopp used midfielders Fabinho and Jordan Henderson in defence. However transferring positions means gamers perform completely different actions, putting unfamiliar strains on completely different elements of the physique.
This will increase the probability of harm and that’s precisely what occurred to the Liverpool pair.
Metropolis can possible cope with out Rodri within the quick time period, however because the video games pile up and the minutes begin including up, the pressure on the squad will enhance.
Dropping such a key participant won’t be noticeable immediately, however over the course of a full season it might show deadly.
What this implies for Liverpool
Again in 2020, Metropolis had been struggling in eighth place whereas Liverpool had been prime at Christmas. Nonetheless, the next collapse opened the door for Guardiola’s aspect and so they took full benefit.
May the roles be reversed this season?
Liverpool’s begin to the season has been stable, with 4 wins from 5 within the league and 4 clear sheets. Arne Slot has navigated the tough transition from Klopp’s period admirably, and indicators of a cohesive crew are rising.
Alisson stays a rock between the sticks, whereas Van Dijk is marshalling the defence as soon as once more.
Mohamed Salah continues his relentless pursuit of data. Second-season midfielders Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai are starting to gel. Luis Diaz has impressively upped his finish product.
Whereas Arsenal have introduced themselves as severe contenders for the title, their observe file underneath Mikel Arteta reveals a crew that always falters when the stress is highest.
They’ve but to achieve 90 factors within the league, and so they’ve tended to accept attracts in massive moments. Ought to they actually encourage the identical degree of concern as a full-strength Metropolis?
May January be pivotal?
One intriguing subplot is the upcoming January switch window. Logic suggests Metropolis might eye Martin Zubimendi to plug their hole in midfield.
Zubimendi, who backed up Rodri in Spain’s Euro 2024 marketing campaign, was, after all, set to maneuver to Anfield earlier than opting towards leaving his hometown membership.
Whereas Slot insists “we’ve moved on,” that no Merseyside journalist has been briefed categorically that that’s the case is maybe indicative. Is the door nonetheless open for us to return for the 25-year-old?
It isn’t out of the realms of risk and will give Liverpool a uncommon alternative to strengthen their very own squad and successfully weaken Metropolis’s in a single stroke.
Actually, with Metropolis rocked by Rodri’s harm, this complete season might show to be a uncommon alternative for Slot’s Reds.
Now, it’s as much as Liverpool to remain sharp, maintain successful, and be able to take full benefit.
