'When you lose that position' - Rodri hits the nail on the head with honest Man City verdict

Rodri has underlined the importance of being disciplined as a defensive midfielder to ensure the team as a whole is not left exposed, as Manchester City’s fragility continues.

The Ballon d’Or winner is expected to be out for the rest of the season as he completes his rehabilitation for his cruciate ligament injury, and Man City have suffered in his absence.

City have gone winless throughout November and will fall 11 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday should they lose at Anfield, having also been dumped out of the League Cup by Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs dismantled a disjointed City team 4-0 in last Sunday's league clash before the club threw away a three-goal lead with 15 minutes to go at home to Feyenoord in the Champions League on Wednesday to draw 3-3. A top eight finish in the European table now looks unlikely.

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City have shipped 13 goals in their last four games with Pep Guardiola struggling to find a solution to the hole left by Rodri in midfield. The player himself has underlined how important it is to be efficient and effective in defensive midfield so the defence is shielded.

"In my first year at City, I used to jump forward a lot, pressing high,” Rodri explained to FourFourTwo. "Sometimes that’s good, many times not, because if they then play around you, the team is naked.

“In my first year, the coaches were really strict with me about it – ‘pow, pow, pow’ with clips. They watch you going to the side and say, ‘Why are you going there? You must protect over here?’ It’s something I’ve had to improve, identifying when to go, when to stay.

“The moment you lose that position, you lose the heart of the team, and most goals come from the central area. If you’re there, it’s harder for opponents."

Mateo Kovacic, Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes and Ilkay Gundogan have all been used centrally but all have struggled to plug the gaps. The absence of Ruben Dias with a calf issue has also harmed City’s defensive blockade.

Dias returned to the matchday squad against Feyenoord but was an unused substitute and Rodri has since outlined how he is making it his mission to get back to action before the end of the campaign.

Asked what how wants to improve and develop once he is back on the pitch, the 28-year-old said: “To be colder. Less passionate, and be a better leader every day.

“The final third is also something I’ve paid attention to - to be involved in goals and assists. Controlling myself when I’m tired, too - don’t move that much, try to stay.”