Rodri is absent once again as Manchester City return to Premier League action against Newcastle today.
The influential Spanish midfielder has been in and out of action this season, having recovered from an ACL tear before enduring a persistent hamstring problem.
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The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has featured just eight games across all competitions so far, but Pep Guardiola’s side have managed to survive in his absence, climbing to second in the Premier League table after an inconsistent start.
A 3-0 win over Liverpool before the international break has stood Man City in good stead for a busy run into the festive period, as they chase down league leaders Arsenal, who are four points clear.
They travel to St James’ Park in today’s tea-time kick-off at near-enough full strength, minus Rodri and Mateo Kovacic, who is out until the new year after ankle surgery.
“Everybody is fit except Kova and Rodri,” Guardiola revealed during the pre-match news conference on Friday morning.
“Rodri is making steps good, it’s almost three weeks since his last setback.
“He knows he has to take time to recover well mentally and physically and to be consistent from now until the end.”
As a result, Gianluigi Donnarumma continues in net, and, incredibly, Guardiola has been consistent with his back four.
Matheus Nunes is at right-back, with Nico O’Reilly - who earned a maiden senior England call-up over the international break - at left-back.
That leaves Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol as the centre-back pairing.
In midfield, Rodri’s deputy Nico Gonzalez scored in the win over Liverpool and he gets the nod again, alongside Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva in the engine room.
Jeremy Doku put in a man of the match performance up against Conor Bradley and keeps his place, and Rayan Cherki is off the right once more.
Man City XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Nico, Silva, Foden; Cherki, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Trafford, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Marmoush, Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Khusanov, Bobb
Injured: Rodri, Kovacic
Time and date: 5.30pm GMT today Saturday, November 22, 2025
Venue: St James’ Park
