Even in a squad packed with elite attackers, Rodri is the player who gives City their rhythm. When he is available, the team tends to look calmer in possession and harder to break through in transition. That matters against an Arsenal side built to press high and attack space quickly.
The update says Rodri is due back on Friday after time off following the summer tournament and minor back surgery. It also says his future remains unresolved, with Barcelona still interested. Reports suggest City would want around £60m before any deal could move forward.
If Rodri is the controller, Haaland is the headline threat. His return gives Enzo Maresca a focal point again, and that matters in a one-off game where sharpness in both boxes often decides the outcome.
There is more depth around him now too:
That gives City more variation than they had on the Asia tour, where the workload had to be managed carefully.
The biggest issue is not quality but readiness. Several senior players are only just returning, so Maresca must decide who can start and who is better used from the bench. Jack Grealish, meanwhile, was left out of the tour squad as he works back to fitness, and reports suggest he is still expected to leave.
That leaves City better stocked than they were a few days ago, but not fully settled. The next thing to watch is simple: whether Rodri reports as planned and how much of Haaland and the returning attackers Maresca is willing to unleash against Arsenal in Cardiff.