Pep Guardiola has admitted he’s angry with Rodri after the midfielder was sent off during Manchester City’s game against Nottingham Forest.
The Spaniard, who scored the winning goal in the Champions League final and sealed the treble for the club last season, was dismissed from the game on Saturday after raising his hands and grabbing Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White around the neck — an instant red card in any instance.
Rodri will now miss Man City‘s next three games against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, next Saturday’s trip to Wolves and an even bigger fixture on the calendar: Arsenal away on 8 October.
As a result, Pep was left deeply disappointed and frustrated with Rodri, confessing that he was angry with the rash reaction and adding that the 27-year-old “has to learn”.
🗣 "It's not my first season here, It's eight years here. We know each other really, really well…"
Pep Guardiola admits he is angry with Rodri, and the player has already apologised to his Manchester City teammates 😠⚽ pic.twitter.com/AY9pbtTO1x
As you can see, Guardiola took issue not only with Rodri’s violent conduct but referee Antony Taylor’s performance on the day, arguing that a tackle on Haaland in the early actions of the game should have resulted in a yellow card but was waved off, only for City centre-back Manuel Akanji to be booked moments later for a similar challenge.
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He went on to reveal that he warned everyone to “be careful” when heading in for half-time, however, soon after play resumed, a few aggressive shoves from Gibbs-White were more than enough to push Rodri over the edge and result in him seeing red — quite literally.
The Catalan did say that he thought his side played the game perfectly for the opening half an hour but that Taylor‘s refereeing led to “chaos” on the pitch and “changed the way the game was played”.
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Nevertheless, although he will have to speak with the rest of the club first, he said wouldn’t personally bother appealing the decision despite insisting that a “three-game [match ban] is too many”.
"He has to learn. He has to learn"
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola does not expect the club to appeal Rodri's red card against Nottingham Forest.#ManCity#MCFC#bbcfootball
It is worth noting that this was only Rodri’s first red at Manchester City and while he might not be as much of a master in the dark arts as his predecessor Fernandinho, he’s still become the go-to man when it comes to breaking up play and has picked up just 26 yellow cards in four years at the Etihad.
The CDM will be available for City’s Champions League match against RB Leipzig next Wednesday but won’t be eligible for a Premier League squad again until 21 October against Brighton.
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You can watch the highlights from Man City 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest, including Rodri’s red card, down below:
Featured Image — Premier League/Sky Sports (via Twitter)
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Tommy Fury announces huge fight against former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall
Daisy Jackson
Tommy Fury has announced his next major boxing match – against a rather unlikely opponent.
The Manc boxer and former Love Island star will face Eddie Hall, who once reigned as the World’s Strongest Man and was the first person on the planet to deadlift 500kg.
The match, billed as Beauty vs The Beast (we’ll let you decide who’s who…), will take place at the AO Arena this summer.
Tommy Fury and Eddie Hall will be facing off in Manchester as part of the Misfits Boxing series, a sports promotion company founded by YouTube sensation KSI.
26-year-old Fury – younger brother of heavyweight legend Tyson Fury – remains unbeaten, seeing off all-comers in the crossover boxing world.
As for 38-year-old Eddie Hall (nicknamed The Beast), he retired as a strongman competitor, where he’s previously been crowned the World’s Strongest Man, and has now pivoted into combat sports.
The pair have collaborated recently on several videos online, taking on challenges like a One Punch Knockout and a breakfast eating competition.
But this will be the first time they’ve publicly faced off in the ring.
Misfirst Boxing has once more delivered the biggest match-ups possible in the crossover boxing space, with Fury vs. Hall promising to be a titanic tussle that will captivate fans around the world.
Tommy Fury vs Eddie Hall, Beauty vs The Beast, will take place on Saturday 13 June at the AO Arena in Manchester – you can get tickets HERE.
Corey Blackett-Taylor ruled out injured for the rest of the season
Danny Jones
Bolton Wanderers winger Corey Blackett-Taylor has been ruled out for the rest of the season following injury.
With not that long left in this year’s campaign and the playoff scrap set to ramp up even further in the coming weeks, it’s an unfortunate twist of fate for the Trotters.
Despite still being only a relatively recent signing, having just joined Bolton in the most recent January transfer window, it didn’t take long for him to make a good impression.
Scoring on debut in a 1-0 away win against AFC Wimbledon, the 28-year-old is now set to miss the remainder of the 2025/26 term, letting supporters know the news on Friday, 27 March.
Blackett-Taylor was forced off in the game against Rotherham United after pulling up in the wake of taking a shot, ultimately being subbed in the first half.
It was quickly confirmed to be a thigh injury, and while the specific nature and severity of the damage haven’t been fully detailed, he has now informed fans that his season is over.
Writing on Instagram, he said: “Instantly from arriving at the club, I felt the passion and support from the fans, club, staff and players.
“I have no doubts [about] the club achieving their targets of promotion – I want to say a huge thank you for making me feel so welcomed and comfortable. Unfortunately, my season is concluded due to my injury, but I’ll be here supporting the team to the very end.”
He isn’t the only impactful League One player at a side eyeing up the Championship to have been hampered by setbacks on the physio bench, with rivals Stockport County also confirming an absence at this crucial point in the campaign.
Not ideal for either of the Greater Manchester hopefuls.
Once again, while the recovery period for both of these players has already begun, the exact timelines for their return remain to be seen.
That being said, chances are we’ll see the Derby County loanee back in action before Hills, though we’ll have to wait to find out whether it will be at the Toughsheet Stadium or back with his parent club.
Who do you think is going to clinch that third promotion place at Wembley come this May?
Danny Jones -
25th September 2023 
