The return of Rodri in Manchester Metropolis’s beginning XI was purported to be a step in the suitable path for the struggling membership, however it was extra of the identical for the Residents in opposition to Brighton on Sunday, and the Spanish midfielder defended his efficiency.
“I am not [Lionel] Messi,” Rodri stated following Metropolis’s 2-1 loss at American Specific Stadium. “I am not going to come back again and make the crew win and win. This can be a collective. Once we received prior to now, I wanted all my teammates.
“For positive, I’ve to get better and discover my finest degree. It isn’t as a result of I am again we will win. It is a collective sport. Hopefully, after the break, we are able to come again a lot better.”
The defeat at Brighton adopted a 2-0 dwelling loss to Tottenham final weekend for Metropolis, which is demonstrating the identical vulnerabilities and brittleness it confirmed final season when surrendering the title to Liverpool after 4 consecutive years as champions.
“That is the truth — we’re not on the degree from a very long time (in the past),” stated Metropolis midfielder Rodri, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner who was beginning within the league for the primary time since September final 12 months following a critical knee damage.
Brajan Gruda surged by way of an open protection, rounded goalkeeper James Trafford and slotted into an empty internet for the 89th-minute winner for Brighton, which trailed to Erling Haaland’s first-half strike — his 88th objective in 100 Premier League appearances since shifting to England in 2022.
Metropolis conceded an equalizer within the 67th minute after Matheus Nunes raised his arm within the space to dam a shot, with James Milner changing the penalty for Brighton to develop into — at age 39 years and 239 days — the second-oldest scorer in Premier League historical past. He’s additionally the second youngest, having netted as a 16-year-old for Leeds.
With Metropolis noticeably fading, Brighton created a succession of possibilities earlier than Gruda transformed one to seal a repeat of his crew’s come-from-behind 2-1 win over Metropolis final season.
Metropolis’s solely factors to this point this season have come from a 4-0 opening-round win at Wolverhampton, after which pundits had been saying Guardiola’s crew was again. Now, it has fewer factors than Manchester United.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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