The return of Rodri to the starting lineup for Manchester City was seen as a positive, yet the team continued to struggle, facing a similar outcome against Brighton on Sunday.
Rodri stated, “I’m not [Lionel] Messi. I’m not going to come back and ensure victory on my own. This is a collective effort. In the past, when we won, I relied on all my teammates.”
The match resulted in a 2-1 defeat, with Brighton scoring a late winner through Brajan Gruda after City took the lead with an early goal by Erling Haaland, marking his 88th goal in just 100 Premier League appearances since joining England in 2022.
Rodri emphasized the need to elevate their performance, acknowledging, “We are not at the level we were before.” Meanwhile, James Milner converted a penalty for Brighton, becoming the second-oldest scorer in Premier League history.
City’s only victory this season was a 4-0 win over Wolverhampton. Now, they are trailing even behind Manchester United.
Note: The original article received contributions from the Associated Press.
