Rodri singles out Man City teammate for praise after Sheffield Utd win

The Citizens claimed a hard-fought win without Pep Guardiola on the touchline.

Manchester City star Rodri has hailed Erling Haaland for bouncing back after missing a penalty against Sheffield United.

Haaland had a chance to put the Citizens ahead in the 37th minute, but his low shot deflected off the right post.

That didn’t stop the Citizens from doubling down on their pressure after the break. Haaland finally opened the scoring for his side with a powerful header in the 63rd minute.

A goal from Jayden Bogle returned Sheffield back into the game, but Rodri scored a late match-winner to send City to the top of the Premier League table.

Speaking after the game, the Spanish midfielder said of Haaland’s display: “He never lost faith. I spoke to him saying don’t drop because sometimes being surrounded it can be frustrating.

“They man marked a lot and he missed a penalty but then he scored and was decisive. This is what the top players do.”

Man City have started the new season with three consecutive victories, scoring six goals and conceding only one. Rodri hopes to see Guardiola back on the bench as they continue their quest of defending three titles.

“I think it’s a great start for us. Even though we didn’t have a big pre-season,” he added. “The team is great even though we have some injuries and need Pep [Guardiola] back. It’s a moment where we’ve been together because not everyone is with us, but we have to keep going.”