Manchester City's 2025-26 season divides neatly into two halves. The first half, without Rodri, was marked by vulnerability in midfield, inconsistency in results, and a growing points gap behind Arsenal. The second half, since January, has been a different story. The stats confirm the turnaround. Since January, City's points-per-game has increased significantly. Their xG against has reduced — they are conceding fewer high-quality chances. Their pressing metrics have improved, particularly in the first 20 minutes of matches. Rodri's influence is clearest in the defensive numbers. Without him, City allowed transitions that created clear-cut chances. With him, those transition moments are intercepted or delayed until City's defensive shape recovers. Bernardo Silva's contribution shows differently — in progressive passes, in pressing actions, and in the frequency with which City maintain possession under pressure. He tops City's charts in almost every creative metric. The result: a City team that, in their second-half form, would be competing directly with Arsenal for the title. The problem is the first-half points deficit. Title challenges cannot be built on 20-game runs. Sunday vs Chelsea is another data point in the second-half revival story. 📅 Sun 12 Apr, 07:30 UTC | Stamford Bridge 🏆 GW30 | The Revival in Numbers