Manchester City’s visit to Anfield on Sunday is already being touted as the most anticipated game of the season and for good reason.
Liverpool have a chance to go 11 points ahead of the four-time defending Premier League champions, who are viewing the game as the ultimate ‘get-right’ moment as their season is coming apart at the seams.
City are now winless in six games in all competitions, being annihilated 4-0 at home by Tottenham last weekend and then blowing a 3-0 lead to Feyenoord in the Champions League in the final 15 minutes on Tuesday night.
A significant part of Man City’s problems stems from the season-ending injury Rodri suffered against Arsenal back in September.
The Spaniard has long been touted as the best defensive midfielder in the world and was deemed the best player in the world with a Ballon d’Or win last month.
And whilst all teams struggle when one of their starting players goes down, Rodri’s absence has seemingly been a performance-changing issue of proportions no one anticipated.
As a result, City are looking to plug the Rodri-shaped gap in January with two Liverpool-linked signings.
A new report from the Daily Mail suggests City are interested in both Martin Zubimendi and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.
“City originally intended to pursue their interest in a new midfielder next summer but Rodri’s injury is expected to see the Premier League champions consider bringing those plans forward to January as they look to arrest their worrying form.” reads the report.
An approach for Zubimendi makes obvious sense given his place as one of the most sought-after defensive midfielders in the world. Liverpool are expected to go back in for him despite having Ryan Gravenberch in the team.
Can Rodri actually be replaced for Manchester City?
Wharton’s stock has fallen a little from last season, and he has been out for the past month due to an operation.
“It remains to be seen whether Palace would even consider selling their talented youngster leave in January as they look to climb out of the bottom three.” reads the Mail report.
“But there is a realisation at Selhurst Park that Wharton will leave for a top club in one of the next four transfer windows if his career trajectory continues to soar.”
Liverpool were also linked with Wharton back in September, with a report suggesting Palace valued the player at £100m.
But for City, plugging the Rodri gap may even make adding both players necessary. There is barely anyone – Gravenberch excluded – that reads play, tracks the ball, plugs gaps and sets up attacks like the Ballon d’Or winner.
Mateo Kovacic looked lacklustre in the role before his injury. Zubimendi adequately covered for Rodri after he went off injured in the Euro 2024 final, but Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer were still able to find space that wasn’t seen when Rodri was on the pitch for England’s equaliser in that game.
But if Liverpool are as ruthless as they seem at present, they will take their interest in Zubimendi even more seriously to add insult to City’s injury crisis.
