"Rodri assertively claims his comeback won't alter Manchester City's fate, despite not being Lionel Messi"
Manchester City's unbeaten run, stretching back to February 2023, came to an end on Sunday as they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Brighton. The loss marks the first time City has started a Premier League season with two losses since the 2004-05 season.
Rodri, who made his first Premier League start in 11 months in the match, emphasised that football is a collective sport and winning is not solely dependent on his presence. He acknowledged that he is not capable of single-handedly winning games like Lionel Messi.
The game started promisingly for City as Erling Haaland put them in front against Brighton in the 34th minute. However, James Milner and Brajan Gruda scored in the comeback victory for Brighton, with Milner finding the net in the 63rd minute and Gruda in the 83rd.
City faced only one shot throughout the first half against Brighton, and Rodri expressed the need to recover and find his best level after his return from injury. Fabian Hurzeler introduced four Brighton substitutes around the hour mark, which seemed to boost their morale and momentum.
In the 2004-05 season, City missed out on European football on the final day, drawing 1-1 with Middlesbrough. This season, they have lost two of their first three games in the Premier League, and their next opponents are Manchester United on September 14.
After the lost game against Brighton, Manchester City's manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged that he alone cannot change the team's fortune as Lionel Messi did. He emphasised that football is a collective sport and winning is not solely dependent on individual players.
In a somewhat ironic twist, David James played as a makeshift striker in the 2004-05 season's final game for City. Sol Campbell enjoyed a 56-match unbeaten streak with Arsenal from 2002 to 2004, the longest in the competition's history. Rodri's 49-game unbeaten streak when starting was the second-longest in the competition's history.
Only Manchester United, in 1992-93, have ever recovered from a similar start to win the Premier League title. City will be hoping to follow in their footsteps and turn their season around when they face Manchester United next week.
