Rodri expects Arsenal and Liverpool to be Manchester Metropolis’s greatest threats as they bid to win an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title.
The Cityzens have seen off a powerful problem from Arsenal over the previous couple of seasons, with Liverpool, beneath the administration of Jurgen Klopp, Metropolis’s greatest adversaries previous to that.
Klopp’s Liverpool completed as runners-up in 2018/19 with an unbelievable 97-point haul, wrestling the title away from Metropolis the next 12 months after bettering to 99 factors, earlier than they once more completed second with 92 factors in 2021/22.
28-year-old Rodri, who is without doubt one of the favourites to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or, has performed a key position in every of Metropolis‘s 4 title successes between 2020/21 and 2023/24 and can once more be essential to Pep Guardiola’s bid to win a record-extending 5 in a row.
In an interview with ESPN, the Spaniard spoke about who Metropolis’s greatest challengers might be this season, the place he recognised the beginning Liverpool have made since Arne Slot succeeded Klopp within the dugout. He additionally spoke extremely of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who he tipped to be within the combine when it is all mentioned and completed.
“I see Liverpool very robust and was unsure how they had been going to reply with the goodbye of Jürgen [Klopp],” he mentioned. “However they reply like nothing occurred, so that they’re at all times a menace.
“And Arsenal, I feel the final two years, yeah, there was the larger menace. Let’s have a look at how they do as a result of if you find yourself at this degree two years, it is not straightforward to maintain it.
“So large credit score for them as a result of it is not straightforward. They push us to the bounds and I feel it should be these two groups. However you by no means know.”
Arteta signed a brand new three-year contract at Arsenal on Thursday, committing his future to the membership till 2027, however it stays to be seen how lengthy Guardiola will stay in control of Metropolis for.
The previous Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss is out of contract on the finish of the season, although he has hinted at a attainable extension on the Etihad Stadium so long as “it is the fitting choice, not only for me, [but] for the membership.”
