Manchester City retained the Carabao Cup on Sunday for the third consecutive season to avoid a shock result against Aston Villa.
The underdogs produced a spirited second-half display to make the game a contest, however, they were agonisingly unable to find an equalising goal after brushing the post with seconds remaining. After the match, Pep Guardiola hailed his side’s domestic success as “unrivalled”, and it was summer addition Rodrigo who helped affirm the reigning Premier League champions’ status as the kings of domestic football, having won six trophies in the past three years alone.
Rodrigo, valued at £72m (Transfermarkt), was sensational in the heart of midfield, running the game from the shadows, while Phil Foden took a starring role. The Spaniard played 92 passes, the most of any Manchester City player, which were completed with an 85.9 per cent accuracy, along with playing four of seven accurate long balls, as per WhoScored. There was not a moment throughout the first half where Rodrigo wasn’t dictating the game at the base of the midfield, and his assured nature in possession drew in defenders and allowed Foden space to thrive.
When he needed too, especially in the second half, Rodrigo got back amongst the defence to provide one tackle, one interception and four clearances, as per WhoScored. Though it was not his most glamorous defensive performances, his late clearances ate up precious minutes for City and averted his side from impending Aston Villa danger. So many long balls to rid the Citizens from their opposition’s threat would likely not have been Guardiola’s preferred method; however, the 23-year-old took it upon himself to clear his lines and keep the second half scoreless.
Offensively Rodrigo was sublime, it is rare to see him getting so heavily involved in the attack, but when City were imperious in the first half, he had three shots, two of which were on target, as per WhoScored.
The Spanish midfielder rose high from a corner to steer in a header and double City’s advantage, in what would effectively become the winning goal. There is still much to be decided in Rodrigo’s debut campaign, but this was a defining performance in his short career in Manchester to date which clinched the first of what could be many trophies in Sky Blue.
