Manchester City are used to winning but their recent form has seen them amass a winless run of six games, including five successive defeats.

The Premier League champions were dealt a hammer blow with the loss of Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri when he suffered an ACL injury against Arsenal in the 2-2 draw at the Etihad.

They last won a football match in October, with a 1-0 victory over Southampton, but since then Tottenham Hotspur have kickstarted – and exacerbated – a run of torrid form.

The north London side have beaten them twice in less than a month, firstly with a 2-1 win in the EFL Cup, and secondly in a 4-0 thrashing of the champions on their home turf.

Brighton, Bournemouth and Sporting Lisbon have all enjoyed victories over Man City in recent weeks, but there appeared to be light at the end of the tunnel when they led Feyenoord 3-0 in the Champions League.

Within just fifteen minutes that light was dimmed though as the Eredivisie side added three goals of their own, leaving Man City crushed at the final whistle, leaving with a 3-3 draw.

Boss Pep Guardiola appeared after the game with scratches on his head and a cut on the bridge of his nose after looking visibly stressed on the touchline in the Champions League clash.

But now, attention turns not only to the Liverpool game which awaits them on Sunday – as the Reds have a chance to open up an 11 point gap between themselves and City – but also, how they will fix the problems in their squad.

With the absence of Rodri this season, City will need reinforcements. The Spanish midfielder provided a huge defensive boost to the backline and without him, the differences are stark.

Since the beginning of last season, Rodri played 53 games, winning 39, drawing 13, and losing just one – the FA Cup final to Man United.

Their win percentage without him drops to 58.3 per cent in comparison to 73.6 per cent when he’s on the pitch. Protecting the back four is a vital area for City to support come January.

The call for a fresh squad has never been greater at the club, but who should City turn to in January to fill Rodri’s midfield void?

Joshua Kimmich – Bayern Munich

Estimated value: £42million

The Bayern Munich man is often regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, having won eight Bundesliga titles.

Kimmich, 29, was described aptly earlier in his career as a ‘veritable Swiss Army knife of a player’ and could welcome a return to playing under Guardiola after spending just a year with him, during which time they lifted the Germany title and League Cup.

Germany’s captain is a stalwart in the centre of the park for the national team, providing control from the middle and an aggressive intelligence for winning the ball back.

He ranks first in the German top-flight for touches in midfield, carrying distance, through-balls, and importantly, passes completed.

Another appeal of Kimmich will be his defensive abilities. He has, on occasion, dropped into right-back for Bayern with his expertly-timed tackles and ball-winning abilities.

Whilst Kimmich may be a tricky deal to do in January, there is no doubt he would provide the cover which is desperately needed, especially with 34-year-old Kyle Walker and the injury-prone John Stones, who are not quite the players they once were in a City shirt.

Martín Zubimendi – Real Sociedad

Estimated value: £50million

The Liverpool’s target could have his head turned by the serial winners, and they need him more than ever.

The Reds had a £51.5million bid rejected by the Real Sociedad midfielder in the summer, forcing Arne Slot to craft a stunning midfield from Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch.

Much like his compatriot Rodri, Zubimendi is calm and composed in midfield, controlling the tempo of any match he plays in with well-guided passes.

His defensive prowess and stability on the pitch has drawn comparisons to Sergio Busquets, as well as his finer technical skills to pick up the ball in tight spots and initiate play from deep which is reminiscent of Man City legend David Silva.

City may need to dig deep in their pockets to pay out for the 25-year-old, who is still attracting interest from Liverpool and has recently been pursued by Arsenal as a potential alternative to Thomas Partey.

Having emerged through Real Sociedad’s C and then B teams, he has now made over 200 appearances for the side based in San Sebastian. He also appeared in the Euro 2024 final, coming off the bench as Spain beat England 2-1 to lift the trophy.

For City, it will be a tough decision to replace a player who has been an unwavering presence in the starting line-up across four Premier League title-winning seasons in Rodri, but the defensive troubles without their number 16 have highlighted a deeper problem at the back.

Attacking prowess comes in bucket loads at the Etihad, with Erling Haaland finding the net for fun and – when on form – the likes of Phil Foden, Kevin de Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish and Savinho behind to support him.

But it’s finding a Rodri-replacement which could salvage the season for City should they buy wisely in January.