Rodri

Rodri rarely needs to sprint or make a spectacular tackle, because his positioning already anticipates where the ball is going before an opponent has decided to play it there. He shields the back line by standing in the exact space a counter attack would need to run through, forcing opponents wide instead of straight through the middle. His passing range covers the width of the pitch, letting City switch the point of attack without losing tempo.

The tension is how much a team's structure depends on one person never having an off day, since City's high line and adventurous full backs only work because he covers behind them. Remove that single body from midfield and the whole shape becomes exposed to a quick transition. Watch how differently City set up when he is rested, because the change usually says more than any praise of him.