2024-09-23 23:20:03
Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva has brutally mocked Arsenal’s lack of two major honours in their trophy cabinet following the 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium.
The two sides played out the best game of the ongoing Premier League season on Sunday afternoon, in a 90 minutes marred by officiating controversy, VAR confusion, footballing dark arts, and sensational individual brilliance.
Erling Haaland’s opening goal inside 10 minutes was cancelled out by Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori and his first goal for the club, before Gabriel Magalhaes would give the visitors the lead.
Leandro Trossard’s sending off for a second bookable offence on the stroke of half-time would give Manchester City plenty to attack in the second-half as Arsenal sat deep in and around their own penalty area with nine-men behind the ball.
Ultimately, City could only find the one goal in a hugely difficult task of attack against defence, with John Stones breaking Arsenal’s resolve in the eighth minute of additional time and ensuring that the points would be shared.
It is arguably the first example of the Manchester City against Arsenal battle taking on a more aggressive and feisty approach since the two sides first went head-to-head for the Premier League title two seasons ago.
Speaking to Brazilian television after the 2-2 draw on Sunday afternoon, Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva was quizzed on what he felt are the main differences between the club’s meetings with Liverpool in recent title battles, and now Arsenal.
“Perhaps because Liverpool has already won the Premier League and Arsenal hasn’t,” the Portugal international brutally responded. “Liverpool, at that time, had also won a Champions League, while Arsenal hasn’t,” he continued.
“Liverpool always faced us head-on, to win matches. From that perspective, our games against Arsenal haven’t been like the matches against Liverpool were, and still are!”
Continuing on whether he felt the clash on Sunday afternoon could be described as a ‘great classic’, Bernardo Silva did not stop in his assaults on Arsenal as a footballing organisation, as he said, “More or less. Only one team came to play football.”
He continued, “The other came to play at the limits of what was possible and what the referee allowed, unfortunately. But in the end, it was a draw. The best we managed was a draw. We’re not happy; we wanted the three points.
“Knowing we could have done better, we are satisfied with how we came here to play, how we entered the game, because we approach every match to win.”
Bernardo Silva and Manchester City will likely face a hostile reception when they travel to the Emirates Stadium this season, but have plenty to think about between now and then, and not just within their own Premier League duties.
This week sees the return of the Carabao Cup as Pep Guardiola and his players take on the challenge of Watford at the Etihad Stadium, just 49 hours after the conclusion of a hugely physical demanding meeting with Arsenal.
The weekend will then see Manchester City travel to the north-east to take on Newcastle United in the early kick-off on Saturday afternoon, hoping to further retain and protect their unbeaten start to the new season.
