Bernardo Silva has issued an ‘honest’ verdict on Arsenal after Sunday’s 0-0 draw but the Manchester City midfielder appeared to pull a U-turn on his thoughts mid-review.
The Citizens and Gunners had to accept a share of the points as the title rivals met at Etihad Stadium. Arsenal also fell to second in the Premier League standings following the stalemate with Manchester City staying in third. Liverpool edged to the top after beating Brighton 2-1.
Just three points split the top three in the table through 29 games, though. Arsenal also still have the best goal difference in the division at +46 to Liverpool on +40 and Manchester City on +35. Mikel Arteta’s team will now look to respond at home to Luton Town on Wednesday.
Man City maestro Bernardo Silva issues an ‘honest’ verdict on Arsenal
Arsenal could put the pressure back on Liverpool ahead of the Reds hosting Sheffield United this Thursday. Manchester City are also in action on Wednesday night as fourth-place Aston Villa head to Etihad Stadium. The Villans also beat the Citizens 1-0 at Villa Park in December.
Pressure is also just what Silva expected Arsenal to put Manchester City under on Sunday in their goalless stalemate. Being ‘honest’, the 29-year-old expected the same tactics Arteta favoured last season when the Gunners lost in all three of their matches against the Citizens.
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Manchester City beat Arsenal 3-1 at Emirates Stadium and 4-1 at Etihad Stadium in their two Premier League matches last term, plus 1-0 in the FA Cup. Yet Silva seemed to pull a U-turn on his views mid-review after remembering Arsenal beat them in their encounters this term.
“To be honest, yes,” Silva said, via quotes by 90min. “Last season when they played against us, they always played very aggressive and very man-to-man and we won the three games.
“This season – even when they played at the Emirates – they still played sometimes in a low block, very patient [and] they got their results playing like that. So, we were expecting them to play this way, to be honest.”
Mikel Arteta learned from losing to Pep Guardiola’s side
Arsenal beat Manchester City on penalties in last August’s Community Shield following a 1-1 draw at Wembley. A late, deflected strike from Gabriel Martinelli also handed the Gunners a 1-0 win at Emirates Stadium in their Premier League encounter with the Citizens in October.
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While Arsenal had 51% of the possession to Manchester City’s 49% at Wembley, their totals flipped at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners even allowed the Citizens to have 72% of the ball at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, which Pep Guardiola’s squad used for 12 shots to Arsenal’s six.
Arteta clearly favoured a ‘bend but do not break’ method at a ground Arsenal have not won at since January 2015. While Manchester City did attempt 12 shots, only Nathan Ake in the 15th minute directed one on target. Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard tested Stefan Ortega.