Rodri's Man City derby masterclass exposes Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's flaws

Rodri has developed into Europe's best holding midfielder this season and he was at his brilliant best at Old Trafford

Had you told pretty much any Manchester City fan in late 2019 that Rodri would become one of the team's most important players, they probably would have laughed at you.

Yet here we are, a few months into the Spanish midfielder's third season at the club, and that is exactly the case.

Rodri has overcome a tough two years of adapting to Pep Guardiola's positional and technical demands as well as the pace of the Premier League, and is arguably the best holding midfield player in Europe right now.

While he put in fantastic performances against Chelsea and Liverpool earlier this season, Saturday's 2-0 victory against Manchester United was his best display of the lot.

When Rodri is at his very best, you don't really notice him. To riff off a Vicente del Bosque quote about Sergio Busquets: Watch the game and you won't see Rodri, but watch Rodri and you'll see the game.

Sitting at the base of City's midfield trio, he is the component that makes the whole machine work. He links defence to attacks, he recycles the ball when there are seemingly no options, he does the dirty work when necessary and he plays long, sweeping balls with the nonchalance of someone walking their dog on a Sunday afternoon.

Against United, he did all of these things.

Rodri completed 99 of the 104 passes he attempted, with only Kyle Walker making more (100) according to StatsBomb. His accuracy rate of 95.2% was bettered only by Ruben Dias and Ederson, perhaps not surprising due to the easier nature of their passes. To operate in the centre of the pitch, the most high-pressure role in football, with such efficiency is incredible.

The 25-year-old - it's easy to forget that he is still that young - completed all eight of the long balls he attempted and pulled off numerous clever touches and turns.

The first-time, no-look, half-volley pass he played out to Joao Cancelo midway through the first half ought to be viewed as one of the passes of the season.

In short, Rodri was outstanding. What he also did was expose flaws both in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's tactical set-up and in United's recruitment processes.

One of the most effective ways that teams can try and disrupt City's hypnotic passing rhythm and hinder their chance creation, is by pressing the holding midfielder.

That is exactly what Southampton and Crystal Palace did on visits to the Etihad Stadium this season, and they left with a draw and a win respectively.

Rodri didn't play badly in either of those games, but the pressure on him meant that City's defenders lost a crucial passing option. If Rodri is the main link between defence and attack, then shutting him down greatly disrupts City's creativity. The defenders can have the ball as much as they like, but without Rodri to pass to, City struggle to build from the back.

As it turned out, in the words of City Is Ours Editor Dom Farrell, "Rodri could have played in slippers and evening wear," such was the lack of pressure United put him under.

While Ronaldo and co. were busy trying to press Guardiola's centre-backs like headless chickens, Rodri was left all alone to offer a passing option and conduct the play. It was a tactical oversite solely on Solskjaer's shoulders.

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Rodri also showed the United hierarchy what a quality defensive midfielder can do for a team - or any defensive midfielder, for that matter.

United's failure to sign a holding midfielder is baffling given that it was arguably their biggest need over the summer. Instead, the Old Trafford faithful have to endure the comedic double act that is Scott McTominay and Fred. "Anyone that tells me that Fred is good enough for United is living in cuckoo land," Roy Keane said after the game.

A few years ago, it seemed unlikely that City would ever find another holding midfielder worthy of lacing Fernandinho's boots. If Saturday's game is anything to go by, then they and Rodri have proved the doubters wrong.

How important do you think Rodri is to Man City? Follow City Is Ours writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to join the conversation and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.