Man City Star: Emirates Is Tough Place To Play, Arsenal Have Been Building

By The Editor
on 10th October 2023

Bernardo Silva expresses how the Emirates is now a fortress…

Manchester City star Bernardo Silva admitted that coming to the Emirates Stadium in recent years has been a tough assignment after Arsenal secured their first league win against the champions since 2015, NBC Sports reports.

Silva began the game in a deeper midfield role as Pep Guardiola attempted to compensate for the absence of the suspended Rodri.

The former Monaco man is a clever technician and was tasked with monopolising the ball in midfield and asserting more control for the visitors.

Guardiola’s men had control for most of the first half, though a thorough pep talk from Mikel Arteta in the interval swung the game in the north London side’s favour.

Silva was left disappointed in his post-match interview, feeling his side didn’t match the intensity set in the second half by last season’s runners-up.

“Frustrations and disappointment,” the Portuguese star said when asked to sum up his post-match emotions.

“It’s never easy to come to the Emirates to play Arsenal, a very good side, organised side that’s been developing and getting better over the past few years.

“A game that could’ve gone both ways. In these games, the little details matter and the deflection makes the difference.

“What we have to control, in my opinion, in the second half the decrease that we have in intensity and the way we pressed their team,” Silva added.

If this was a test of Arsenal’s maturity and if they could keep their emotions in check for a game of this magnitude at home, they certainly passed with flying colours.

We defended with an intensity that was also controlled, and proved that if we refrain from gifting a goal to the opposition, we are tough to break down.

It also leaves us the opportunity to win the game in the final third, even if we have to rely on a little luck falling our way.