How can Guardiola solve Man City's midfield conundrum?

Football writer Adrian Clarke identifies the key players, team tactics and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 10.

Team analysis: Manchester City

Bouncing back from the disappointment of a 1 -0 defeat at Aston Villa last weekend will be on Man City’s minds when they host high-flying AFC Bournemouth on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola's side lost the midfield battle against Villa, and with it, the control they like to have in matches.

So, when they go toe-to-toe with one of the division’s most vibrant midfield units in Matchweek 10, big improvements must be made.

Will Pep take a chance on Rodri?

A fully fit Rodri provides Guardiola with control, defensive nous and stability, but we are yet to see the Spaniard enjoy a prolonged run in City's starting XI this season.

Rodri did start three Premier League matches in a row, impressing in strong performances against Manchester United and Arsenal.

Since then, he has only completed 22 minutes of action, in the 1-0 success at Brentford in early October.

Rodri’s absence is always felt in City’s off-the-ball work.

Their talisman is still by some distance their best ball-winner in midfield, even during a period where he has been gently nursing himself back to full fitness.

Man City midfielders per 90, PL 25/26

While Nico Gonzalez has impressed at times as City’s holding midfielder, the balance of the side feels better when Rodri is sat in that position.

Guardiola though, is understandably wary of not overexerting the former Ballon d’Or winner, who has suffered a few niggles since returning from a long-term knee injury. 

So even though he is in training, Rodri is not guaranteed to start against Bournemouth.

In his press conference, City’s manager teased the prospect of Rodri's involvement in the game, saying: "I think he will be ready to help us. I don't know if from the beginning, but hopefully he can be with us."

A rotating cast of midfielders

We are nine matches into 2025/26 now, and Man City are yet to name an unchanged central midfield unit.

That is far from ideal.

A midfield trio of Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders and Phil Foden is considered their first choice by many, but they have started together in just two of nine top-flight matches; clean-sheet wins against United and Brentford.

In total they have played just 98 minutes in league action as a midfield three, so Guardiola might be tempted to reunite them against a quality Bournemouth side.

As you can see below, City have rotated considerably in central midfield. 

 Man City's midfield appearances per role, PL 25/26

New signing Reijnders has featured at No 6, and on both sides of that pivot; Foden and Bernardo Silva have also played on both sides too.

And at the base, Gonzalez - who was excellent against Swansea City in the midweek EFL Cup win - has deputised for Rodri on four occasions.

Here, you can see the last three starting line-ups in the league.

What is most striking about these sides is that only three players, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Matheus Nunes and Erling Haaland, have performed the same role in each of those contests.

Continuity has eluded them in recent weeks.

Reijnders experiment backfired

Last weekend, Netherlands international Reijnders was the third different holding midfielder used by Guardiola in as many Premier League matches.

Gonzalez was not considered fit enough to start at Villa Park, so Reijnders dropped back into a deeper role.

In truth, he struggled against the power and dynamism of Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara, who helped Villa push upfield and create chances.

Isolated, and asked to cover a bit too much space within City’s attacking 4-1-4-1 system, Reijnders could not get close enough to Villa players, who consistently played around him.

These defensive numbers indicate how much of a struggle it was for him, before moving further forward after the 61st minute introduction of Gonzalez.

Reijnders' stats v Villa

With Mateo Kovacic now available after recovering from injury, we are unlikely to see Reijnders used in this position again for some time.

He will compete with Foden, Bernardo and fit-again Rayan Cherki for starts in that box-to-box role instead.

Adams will relish this test

Andoni Iraola’s high-flying side are unbeaten since the opening night of the campaign and will quietly fancy their chances of causing a stir at the Etihad Stadium.

The pace and skill of in-form Antoine Semenyo and Junior Kroupi does have the potential to trouble Man City inside the final third.

And behind those star attackers they also have a safety blanket provided by Alex Scott and USA international Tyler Adams.

They are one of the most combative central midfield pairings around, with Adams, 26, especially abrasive.

Enjoying a superb season, he provides outstanding energy and protection in front of Iraola’s newly-constructed back four.

Adams' defensive actions, PL 25/26

Attacking from left to right

Adams often sets the tone for Bournemouth with his all-action style, and the data shows he is up there among the Premier League’s most impactful defensive midfielders this season.

Adams' influence, 25/26

Adams will work his socks off to unsettle Man City’s midfield players, just as he did at Anfield during a barnstorming Matchweek 1 display that included four interceptions.

It will be tempting for Guardiola to start Rodri, Foden and Reijnders if they are all passed fit in what is likely to be a high-octane encounter.

But up against a well-oiled Cherries midfield duo, who have started eight of nine matches together, it will not be easy for whoever Guardiola picks.

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