Manchester City lost three games from three without Rodri - with no apparent solution found to cope without the influential midfielder.
Kalvin Phillips finally got the chance he was waiting for - and somehow ended up worse off than before.
He would have been expected to start against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup regardless of Rodri's suspension, as Guardiola made wholesale changes anyway. Phillips wasn't particularly good or bad at St James' Park, doing the basics right which cannot always be said. But he hardly forced his way into the line-up at Wolves, like, say, Rico Lewis did with his Leipzig performance.
With Rodri back against Leipzig, Guardiola opted for another change-up in his midfield system. Phil Foden and Rico Lewis shone and Phillips remained on the bench. Guardiola brought on two attackers to win the game. If this was Phillips' self-confessed 'biggest week' of his City career, then he has hardly emerged stronger than when he went into it. He is no further ahead in Guardiola's plans, and the manager went on record to say he wouldn't pick the England international if he wanted the same control as Rodri.
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