Much has been made of Manchester City without Rodri, and it is all true: he makes them a far better team, and is probably the one they can least manage with being without.

Pep Guardiola is right to point out how long the season is though: the Treble winners have been in far worse spots than two points off the top of the Premier League after eight games.

And while the manager was not up for acknowledging it, playing so many away games has not helped.

All three of City's games without Rodri came away from home, as did the Champions League game sandwiched between the domestic matches.

When City take to the field against Brighton on Saturday, it will be the first home game for a month.

As much as it may seem simple, it does matter: more time travelling - especially if you have to take a bus home from Newcastle or your plane to Leipzig is delayed - means less time for recovery and training and more mental fatigue.

It can't be a reason for not winning a match, but in an age where every extra hour of recuperation can be vital for bodies it certainly hasn't helped the Blues.

Thankfully, the payback is coming.

City must travel to Switzerland next week after Brighton but following that the furthest they have to go for a fortnight is Old Trafford, then when they return from the November international break they have three games in a row at home - including two against rivals Liverpool and Tottenham.

Not only does home provide comforts and better wellbeing, the Etihad has been a towering strength for City this year; amazingly, 21 games there in all competitions have seen 21 victories.

It isn't that the away form is bad so much as it cannot compete with the perfection achieved at home, where no team has been able to cope with the performance levels shown by the Blues and the energy of the crowd.

Guardiola will demand full focus for the Champions League trip to Young Boys as he looks to all-but seal qualification for the knockouts, while derby days at Old Trafford are always nervy affairs (at least until the football starts).

After that though, having almost a fortnight at home with three games at the Etihad should allow City to head to Chelsea in far better shape than they travelled to Arsenal in this month.

Having Rodri back will make everything easier, but just being at home at lot more with five home games in six there after the United trip should give City a significant boost that will allow them to enter December on a high.

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