LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Manchester City must prove they can cope without influential midfielder Rodri as the Premier League champions head to Newcastle.

A pall of gloom descended on the Etihad Stadium when Rodri crumpled to the turf after a collision with Thomas Partey in the first half of Sunday’s bruising 2-2 draw with Arsenal.

Rodri has become indispensable to Pep Guardiola’s team and that knowledge was at the core of the audible anxiety when the Spain star limped off with knee ligament damage.

The 28-year-old, one of the leading contenders to win this year’s prestigious Ballon d’Or award, is expected to be sidelined for several months in a major blow to City’s hopes of winning the Premier League title for a fifth-successive season.

City have not lost any of the last 48 Premier League games in which Rodri has featured, with their three top-flight defeats last term all coming in his absence.

Now Guardiola must find a way to replace Rodri for the foreseeable future, starting with the league leaders’ trip to Newcastle on Saturday.

Guardiola’s first option to deputise for the Euro 2024 winner could be Mateo Kovacic, who featured in the role when the Spaniard missed the first four games this season with a hamstring injury.

Ilkay Gundogan and Rico Lewis, a versatile defender who Guardiola has occasionally used in midfield, could also fill in, although Kevin De Bruyne’s current thigh injury is a further complication.

“Rodri is not here. A problem? Yes. But complain? Absolutely not,” Guardiola said.

“This is the challenge. Let’s go with what we have to Newcastle to try to win the game and do what we have done for many years. It is as simple as that.”