What makes Rodri so effective?

Put simply, he wins the ball back from the opposition and then gives it to another player on his team – and he does so with metronomic accuracy.

Since his debut in a 5-0 win at West Ham, only Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has won possession more often. Nobody has won the ball back more often in the middle third of the pitch than Rodri has, and only seven players during that time have made more tackles.

His reading of the game and combative nature has helped add a real defensive steel to City, with the club keeping 73 clean sheets in his 260 appearances.

What really sets him apart, however, is how he uses the ball.

Since arriving in the Premier League, Rodri has successfully completed nearly 2,000 more passes than any other player – the City midfielder has made 13,699 in total, with Brighton defender Lewis Dunk next on the list with 11,952.

He has also completed more passes in both the opposition’s half and in the final third, while his passing accuracy of 91.9% proves he seldom gives the ball away – even though he’s often moving it deep in opposition territory.