Man City’s Bernardo Silva Dismantles Arsenal’s Tactics: Claims Liverpool Rivalry is on Another Level
Manchester City star Bernardo Silva did not hold back in his critique of Arsenal following the dramatic 2-2 draw at the Etihad. With tensions running high after City’s last-minute equalizer, Silva launched a scathing attack on the Gunners’ tactics, describing them as “anti-football” and accusing Mikel Arteta’s side of a negative approach that is worlds apart from what City faces when playing Liverpool.
In a game that saw John Stones rescue a point for City deep into stoppage time, Silva expressed his frustrations with Arsenal’s style of play, branding their strategy as time-wasting and cynical. “There was only one team that came to play football,” Silva remarked post-match. “The other came to play to the limits of what was possible to do and allowed by the referee, unfortunately.”
Arsenal, reduced to 10 men after Leandro Trossard’s red card early in the second half, mounted a valiant defensive effort as City launched wave after wave of attacks. The Gunners had taken a 2-1 lead just before halftime through goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel, but Trossard’s dismissal for a second yellow card proved pivotal in allowing City to dominate the second half. Silva, however, was unimpressed with how Arsenal handled themselves after gaining the lead.
“It all started in the very first second,” Silva added. “In the first action, we realized what was going to happen. We had a player injured after they sent him to the ground twice in 10 minutes.” Silva didn’t hold back in his criticism of referee Michael Oliver either, accusing him of allowing Arsenal to manipulate the clock through persistent time-wasting.
Despite City’s dominance, the champions found themselves repeatedly frustrated by Arsenal’s deep defensive block. Two Arsenal players, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber, set an unwanted Premier League record for failing to complete a single pass during the 89 minutes they were on the pitch — a stat that highlighted just how much Arsenal relied on dogged defending rather than possession play.
Mikel Arteta, however, defended his side’s performance, refusing to criticize Trossard for his red card. “We know how difficult it is already against this team here,” Arteta said after the match. “The team showed again that it’s ready in any context, that it’s strong, with people cramping against 10 men. For 56 minutes to do what we’ve done is remarkable and it’s a shame that at the end we haven’t managed to win the game.”
The Gunners’ brave resistance was finally broken in the 98th minute when Stones headed home, ensuring City left with a point and keeping Arsenal two points behind the reigning champions in the table.
However, Silva saved his harshest words for a comparison between Arsenal and Liverpool, a club City have shared fierce title battles with in recent years. “The difference? I don’t know,” Silva pondered. “Maybe that Liverpool have already won the Premier League, Arsenal haven’t. That Liverpool have won the Champions League, Arsenal haven’t.”
Silva went on to say, “Liverpool always faced us face to face to try to win the games, so from this perspective, the games against Arsenal haven’t been like the ones we had and have against Liverpool. So yes, maybe a different rivalry.”
It was a stinging assessment from the Portuguese midfielder, who clearly views the rivalry between City and Arsenal as one not yet on the level of the intense duels City have had with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
Man City’s Bernardo Silva Dismantles Arsenal’s Tactics: Claims Liverpool Rivalry is on Another Level