Arsenal aim to beat Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title and Bernardo Silva believes the Gunners have simply seized the moment in transition
Arsenal looking to thwart Man City in title race
Manchester City star Bernardo Silva has lamented a “frustrating” season, but believes he could have won the Premier League title had he not been in a “transition period”.
Josep Guardiola’s side trail Arsenal by two points with two games remaining and will need some help in the closing stages to defeat the Gunners. City had to pay late fees, but only after the start of the new year and some shrewd transfer business.
City, who missed out on the title last season, invested in the summer to change the look of the squad, bringing in Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi in January. They and Rayan Cherki proved to be key in their quest for the top in the second half of the season.
There is no doubt that Guardiola’s side did not reach the level of last year and dropped points in an unexpected game. That has helped Arsenal stay top of the table, and Bernardo believes City’s situation has given them a chance.
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“I believe too, and I know this is very subjective, but if we weren’t in transition and if we didn’t make so many mistakes, we would have won this league. I’m not saying it would have been easy to win, but we would have won this league. So it’s very frustrating,” he told The Athletic.
Arsenal have finished second in each of the last three years, finishing behind City in two of those years. With games against Burnley and Crystal Palace on the horizon, they are ready to break a league title drought that dates back to 2004. The Manchester team will face Bournemouth and Crystal Palace.
Bernardo won six league titles during his time at City, and that title is about to end. He claims to have been part of a glorious era, when Liverpool were his biggest rivals, but it was always inevitable that Arsenal, with whom he had spent so many years together, would ‘man up’ and become a serious threat.
Bernardo Silva leaves Man City this summer after winning six league titles at the Etihad (Image: Getty Images)
The Gunners’ tactics are not universally loved, as set-piece prowess is a big part of their role. They made a positive VAR call against West Ham last weekend, ensuring they remain in control of their own destiny.
Bernardo admitted he was right to call a foul on David Raya, but appeared to dismiss the tactics employed by the Gunners.
The Portuguese midfielder said: “If you look at what’s been happening with set-pieces over the last two seasons, it’s a bit disappointing to see teams spending a minute on a throw-in, a free-kick, a goal-kick, a corner-kick. I wouldn’t say that should be the flow of the game.”
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