Rodri to be monitored before Arsenal game after early withdrawal against Napoli

Pep Guardiola does not know if Rodri will be ready to face Arsenal at the weekend as Manchester City carefully manage his return to action.

The Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder missed most of last season after suffering a knee injury in a game against the Gunners almost exactly a year ago.

He returned to action towards the end of the campaign and then featured in a limited capacity at the Club World Cup in the summer, but suffered a setback at the start of the new season.

The 29-year-old played 76 minutes in last week’s derby victory over Manchester United but asked to be withdrawn after an hour of Thursday’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Napoli.

Guardiola confirmed that was precautionary but is unsure yet whether he will be ready for Sunday’s Premier League trip to the Emirates Stadium.

“It’s a good question, I don’t know yet,” said the City boss when asked about his fellow Spaniard’s prospects.

“He asked to come off but he’s fine. He was so smart.

“I know the result was not over – 1-0 is always tricky – but (if) he does not feel good, (as) always we’ve tried to talk, please, we have to sustain (you) and (if you) feel that is not comfortable, it is better (to come off).

“We’ll see day by day, but it is important already he’s played two games.

“With him in the pitch we feel more comfortable but, of course, after coming from a tough injury you have to be alert and we will decide on Sunday how he does feel.”

Guardiola has no doubt about Rodri’s mentality and fully expects him to get back to his best eventually, but accepts he will have to be patient.

He said: “The greatest, greatest players I ever trained in my managerial career, even as a football player, what I see is here (points to head).

“They are incredible, so confident, and Rodri is that – but the knee is completely different than how you think, and the knee needs this process. He will be back.”

Erling Haaland became the quickest player to reach 50 goals in Champions League history with the opener against the Italians at the Etihad Stadium in his 49th appearance in the competition.

It came in the 56th minute as City finally broke through against the stubborn 10 men of Napoli, who had captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo sent off after 21 minutes. Jeremy Doku added a fine solo second.

That sets City up for their clash with Arsenal, with whom they had two feisty encounters last season, including a 5-1 hammering at the Emirates.

Guardiola said: “The game last season, we started like many times last season, like an under-14s team and gave away a thousand million goals.

“After we were, a lot of the time, pretty good considering how it was last season, but the last 15-20 minutes were a disaster.

“We forgot to do what we had do and it was easy for Arsenal. I want to compete to be a better team than we were last season.”