Manchester City vs Chelsea: Rodri leaves Wembley with City’s biggest question

Rodri is still a doubt for the FA Cup final, and that leaves Manchester City with their biggest selection issue heading into Wembley. The midfielder remains sidelined with a groin injury, and Pep Guardiola could only say: “I don't know. I don't know. We'll see in the next days.”

Why Rodri matters most for City

That uncertainty matters because Rodri is not just another injured player in the squad. His Premier League rating this season is 7.44, and his FA Cup rating is 7.53, which is better again. City can cope with noise around the final, but they are clearly better when he is available.

His absence would also mean one less reliable control point in midfield, which is the part of the pitch City usually lean on most in tight matches. Manchester City have won their last two league games 3-0 against Brentford and Crystal Palace, so the team is arriving in decent shape. Even so, Guardiola does not have the one answer he would probably like before a final.

Chelsea have their own late injury hopes

Chelsea are not going into Wembley without uncertainty of their own, but their latest update is more encouraging. Calum McFarlane said Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho “have trained well this week” and are “looking hopeful” for the final. He also said the same positive line applies to Robert Sánchez.

The Neto update is the most useful one for Chelsea. He picked up a knock in training before the Nottingham Forest match, and his FA Cup record in the brief is strong, with 4 goals and 2 assists and a 7.72 rating. If he makes it, Chelsea get a player who has already shown he can affect this competition.

Chelsea’s recent league form has been less convincing than City’s, with a 1-1 draw at Liverpool, a 3-1 home loss to Nottingham Forest, and a 3-0 defeat at Brighton. That does not decide the final, but it does mean Wembley arrives with one side carrying more momentum and the other carrying more fitness doubts. Right now, the key mismatch is simple: City’s biggest problem is Rodri, while Chelsea’s best news is that their injury list may be easing just in time for Saturday.