Dressing room cracks, Rodri reality, Viana influence - the Man City transfer question with no answer

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

From the outside, the solution to Manchester City's problems is clear: open the chequebook. If they cannot function without Rodri, then go to the transfer market in January and buy a defensive midfielder to shore up the middle and start winning again.

Everything that is going wrong for City at present stems back to Rodri. The need for two holding midfielders rather than one, the forward player sacrificed as a result, or the disruption in defence when one or two can't push into midfield as freely. ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola hints at new Man City target with Arsenal comment ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola has already hinted at wildcard Man City solution to current problems But City will stand by their decision not to sign a back-up while letting Kalvin Phillips leave on loan.

Phillips never clicked at City and it's a hard sell to ask someone to sign but barely play. Mateo Kovacic has done a job in difficult circumstances and the returning Ilkay Gundogan has played at number six before.

There are solutions, even if they aren't perfect. Add an injury crisis stretching into the double figures, though, and each of those small issues multiply to cause a very big one and City have forgotten how to win.