BBC Sport’s chief football news reporter Simon Stone

Guardiola has never made any secret of his belief Rodri is irreplaceable as a single midfield anchor in his Manchester City side.

Kalvin Phillips is the nearest thing to a sitting midfielder in the City squad but Guardiola has long since decided the former Leeds man is not good enough and he is currently on loan at Ipswich and unable to be recalled until January.

That means Guardiola is likely to tinker with his formation and play with two holding midfielders.

Former Chelsea star Mateo Kovacic can fill that role but he is not the only option.

Centre-back John Stones has rarely played as a lone defensive midfielder, but has been inverted into the deep-lying role at times from central defence and right-back.

The recently returned Ilkay Gundogan was used in that position on numerous occasions before he left for Barcelona in 2023. Bernardo Silva has also played there, as has the currently sidelined Kevin de Bruyne.

And then there is 19-year-old Rico Lewis, who Guardiola said only last week could fill a number of positions, such is his flexibility.