Explained: How Man City were handed huge Rodri boost against Crystal Palace as Premier League title race heats up

Pep Guardiola's men recovered from an early Jean-Philippe Mateta strike to score four goals, before Odsonne Edouard pulled a late goal back at Selhurst Park. Along with the three points, that took them to within a point of league leaders Arsenal and drew them level with Liverpool, star player Rodri came through the contest unscathed.

Rodri headed into this fixture with eight bookings for the season and any player that picks up 10 in the first 32 games receives a two-match ban. However, as he did not pick up a yellow in this encounter, which was City's 31st game of the Premier League season, the 27-year-old will avoid a yellow card suspension. Players are given a three game ban if they reach 15 bookings but Rodri would only hit that total if he was yellow carded in all of their last seven fixtures.

While no other City player is at risk of a ban, Premier League title rivals Liverpool have two players on eight yellow cards ahead of Sunday's clash with Manchester United. Darwin Nunez and Waturo Endo may be walking a suspension tightrope during their crunch clash at Old Trafford. A win would take the Reds top of the table again.

Rodri's City side are next in action away to Real Madrid in a heavyweight Champions League first-leg quarter-final clash on Tuesday night, before hosting relegation-threatened Luton Town in the Premier League on Saturday.