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Patience could be the defining word of Manchester City's midfield this season.

Patience with Rodri as he finds his feet again after a serious knee injury wiped out the best part of nine months, and patience with Nico Gonzalez as he adapts to life in blue and tries to fill Rodri's considerable shoes.

Gonzalez arrived in January for £50million and he gradually featured less and less as City struggled for form. He's made eight appearances this campaign and has been entrusted with the pivotal midfield role with Mateo Kovacic having been out injured.

And while the jury might be out on Gonzalez's long-term viability as a defensive midfielder, the 23-year-old is impressing Pep Guardiola with the City boss at pains to point out the positives in the former Porto man's play on the eve

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