I did one recently on a mk7 GTI. You absolutely need to unbolt the ac compressor to allow enough room to move past the ac hoses. Additionally, you'll need to pull the radiator fan.
I was having a misfire issues that I assumed was an injector again. Turned out my carbon buildup was very bad. Idles smoother now at 74k than when it has <1000 miles on it.
I've been chasing the same issue with cyl 3. New plugs, 4 injectors, and swapped coils. Misfire still exists. Worse once the car warms up. Never or extremely rare when driving.