Bernardo Silva Uses Liverpool to Take Trophy Dig at Arsenal

Bernardo Silva launched a scathing assessment of Mikel Arteta's tactics and ridiculed Arsenal's trophy record following Manchester City's dramatic 2-2 draw on Sunday afternoon. Pep Guardiola's side left it late at the Etihad Stadium as John Stones poked home the equaliser with just a final few kicks of the game left.

Erling Haaland had opened the scoring with his 100th club goal in City colours, but the Gunners responded before half-time. A brilliant curling strike from Riccardo Calafiori brought them level, and Gabriel then rose highest to head in from a corner. Arteta's game plan seemed to be working perfectly, but his side was reduced to 10 men just before the break following Leandro Trossard's second yellow card, forcing them to retreat for the second half.

Since then, much has been said about Arsenal's second-half tactics. Chasing their first league title in two decades, the Gunners shifted to a back-five after the break, as Bukayo Saka came off for Ben White. Their defensive setup resulted in late drama and yet another failure to show they are better than their Premier League adversaries. In light of this, it was Silva who had the most to say about it.

Related John Stones Slams Arsenal for 'Dirty' Tactics v Man City Manchester City left it late to rescue a point against 10-men Arsenal on Sunday - but John Stones has criticised the Gunners

Silva Slams Arsenal

He criticised their mentality and trophy cabinet

"There was only one team that came to play football," Silva told TNT Brazil after the match (per GOAL). "The other came to play to the limits of what was possible to do and allowed by the referee, unfortunately. But at the end we got a draw, the best we could get considering the context of the last moments of the match.

"We're not happy as we wanted the three points, but personally I'm happy with the way we came to play and faced the game. I'm glad we always enter the pitch to try to win every match."

Silva also targeted Arsenal's trophy record, ridiculing the north London club for their recent failure to win the Premier League or Champions League. When asked to compare their clashes with Arsenal to their rivalry with Liverpool, the Portuguese midfielder responded:

"The difference? I don't know. Maybe that Liverpool have already won a Premier League, Arsenal haven't. That Liverpool have won a Champions League, Arsenal haven't. "Liverpool always faced us face-to-face to try to win the games, so by this perspective the games against Arsenal haven't been like the ones we had and have against Liverpool. So yes, maybe a different rivalry."

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: In the previous seven Premier League campaigns, only Liverpool have beaten Man City to the title, with the Citizens winning six of the seven crowns on offer.

Referees Also Caught In the Crosshairs

Michael Oliver was in Silva's bad books too

Michael Oliver's officiating left both Manchester City and Arsenal frustrated. The referee issued Arsenal's Trossard a second yellow card for kicking the ball away, despite Jeremy Doku seemingly escaping punishment for a similar offense earlier in the first half.

Meanwhile, City were also unhappy that Kyle Walker was pulled out of position by Oliver before Arsenal's first goal. As a result, the officials remained in Silva's bad books, as he added: "It all started in the very first second. In the first action we realised what was going to happen. We had a player injured [Rodri] after they sent him to the ground twice in 10 minutes.

"We had a goal conceded after the referee called our captain and then didn't allow him to recover his position. The second goal is already their usual block to our 'keeper allowed by the referee. And then the referee allowed a sequence of time-wasting events. The thing that bothers me the most is having a lot of meetings with the FA at the beginning of each season. They tell us they will control this kind of situation and will stop them, but at the end it doesn't have any worth. They say a lot but nothing happens."

As either side look to move forward, Man City host Watford in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, but they will almost certainly be without Rodri after the Spaniard suffered an injury against Arsenal. The Gunners face Bolton Wanderers a day later in the same competition.

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