Manchester City midfielder has taken a dig at Arsenal‘s ‘mentality’ after the Gunners lost the Premier League (PL) title by two points on Sunday (May 19). City won their fourth consecutive PL trophy with a 3-1 win over West Ham United while Arsenal had to contend with a second-place finish after a hard-fought 2-1 win against Everton at the Emirates Stadium.
Speaking after the match, Rodri pointed out that when Arsenal came knocking at Etihad, they played for a draw, which eventually cost them the title.
“To be honest, I think it’s in here [points at his brain]. It’s the mentality. [There are] great players all over the league, all over the clubs. Arsenal also deserve [to win], they did an unbelievable season, but I think the difference was in here [points to his head again],” said Rodri.
“When they came here, they faced us at the Etihad, I saw them and said: ‘Ah, these guys, they don’t want to beat us, they just want a draw.’ And that mentality, I don’t think we would do it the same way,” he added.
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Man City’s sixth title
A win at the time would have given the necessary cushion to Mikel Arteta’s men to push for the title. However, the Gunners played an ultra-defensive game by setting up a low block. While the decision was pragmatic, it certainly didn’t age well as City went on another marauding, unbeaten run.
“And we caught them. In the end, if you give us one point, we will win the last seven, or eight games even though it’s so tough. So I think [the title win] comes down to mentality,” said Rodri.
It was Man City’s sixth title in the last seven years, showcasing the domination Pep Guardiola had conjured up during his time in England. The Spanish manager won a historic treble last year and would now be hoping to do the domestic double by winning the FA Cup final against cross-city rivals, Manchester United, on May 25.
While Guardiola has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest managers to ever grace the sport, the legitimacy of his titles has been shrouded in controversy with the 115 charges looming large over the club. A court hearing is scheduled for later this year with the verdict expected to come out next year.
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