Forgotten Man City midfielder could be about to offer a new Rodri solution

Mateo Kovacic hasn't played for Manchester City so far this season but he was back in action for Croatia on Sunday and has minutes under his belt.

It might only have been Gibraltar, but the 69 minutes Mateo Kovacic played for Croatia in their World Cup qualifying win against the European minnows on Sunday would have felt significant.

The midfielder had Achilles surgery in the summer and hadn't kicked a ball since being sent-off against Bournemouth on May 20. He was an unused substitute for Manchester City against Burnley, Monaco and Brentford and was again kicking his heels on the bench as Croatia drew with the Czech Republic on Thursday night.

Now, he has his first competitive minutes under his belt and, after nearly a month back in training, can focus on getting back to action for his club side. He has lost momentum after what was an encouraging 2024/25 season.

Kovacic has seen competition increase in Pep Guardiola's squad recently, first through the £50million addition of Nico Gonzalez from Porto, then via Rodri's return from injury and the £46.3million summer signing of Tijjani Reijnders.

Gonzalez is being trusted more by Guardiola this season and with Rodri facing a fitness battle to face Everton at the Etihad on Saturday, the 23-year-old Spaniard could be on course for his fifth start of the season.

Kovacic could yet have a say in that, however. The 31-year-old was a solid understudy for Rodri at times last year, with the Ballon d'Or winner missing most of the season with a serious knee injury.

Like Gonzalez, there is a feeling that Kovacic would be better next to Rodri rather than being used as his replacement, but that role has been locked down by Reijnders this season.

So, for Gonzalez and Kovacic the battle is on to be the next man in for that holding midfield role. Kovacic has the experience of working with Guardiola and it's clear Gonzalez still has elements to work on, with the City boss regularly pulling him aside for tactical advice during and after games.

Guardiola was full of praise for Kovacic last season, saying at the end of April that the former Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder was in the best form of his City career.

"The last three or four games have been extraordinary," he said. “The rhythm he plays and the way he plays, he cannot play every three days. But of course the quality that he has and the composure is extraordinary."

That quality has yet to be seen this season, and competition for places is now fierce, but Kovacic started to rediscover some of his rhythm on Sunday night, and that could be the first step on the way to forcing his way back into the side at the Etihad.

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