In a gripping 2-2 Premier League draw at the Etihad, Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva criticized Arsenal for employing “dark arts” rather than playing football. He claimed City was the only side attempting to play the game as intended, while Arsenal relied on tactical disruptions. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, however, praised his team’s resilience, calling their performance a “miracle” after they played nearly the entire second half with 10 men following Leandro Trossard’s red card. John Stones’ 98th-minute equalizer denied Arsenal a famous victory that could have taken them to the top of the Premier League.
Despite City dominating with 28 second-half shots, Arsenal’s defensive efforts nearly secured them a historic win. Arteta admitted that playing against City with a man down was an extraordinary challenge, emphasizing how rare it is to survive such pressure. He refrained from making direct comments on Trossard’s red card, but acknowledged that, had it not occurred, the match’s outcome might have been different.
Silva expressed his frustrations, pointing out that Arsenal used every possible tactic to slow the game, causing a sense of unfairness in how the match was played. Arsenal, however, focused on grinding out a result under difficult circumstances and were seconds away from a remarkable triumph.
City’s late equalizer, aided by additional stoppage time, ensured they returned to the top of the Premier League table, leaving Arsenal to reflect on a missed opportunity. Arteta was clear that playing with 10 men for 56 minutes at the Etihad was an extraordinary feat for his squad, despite the disappointment of conceding so late.
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Great Team! well done.