“I don’t care” – Rodri sends strong Manchester City warning to Arsenal | OneFootball

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has send a warning to title rivals Arsenal ahead of Sunday’s monumental clash at the Emirates Stadium.

City are in a rich vein of form ahead of a tricky test in north London, where the Blues were handed a damaging 5-1 defeat in the Premier League last season – reflecting the gap between the two sides in the 2024-25 campaign.

After a slow start to the current season, Pep Guardiola’s side have come into their own after the international break, with wins over Manchester United and Napoli at home in the last week putting the Blues in a fine place for Sunday’s test against the Gunners.

City’s frontline has received huge plaudits in the last week, with Phil Foden looking increasingly closer to his best after a difficult 12 months and Jeremy Doku making his chance count in the absence of the injured Omar Marmoush.

Erling Haaland scored twice in a 3-0 derby win over Manchester United on Sunday and opened the scoring in a 2-0 triumph over Napoli on Thursday evening, with Kevin De Bruyne returning to the Etihad Stadium after leaving City earlier in the summer at the end of a 10-year spell.

City can build on their recent momentum with a statement victory against Arsenal on Sunday and Ballon d’Or holder Rodri is confident that his side have it in them to correct last season’s wrongs and lay down an early marker at the home of one of their main title rivals.

In an interview with Stadium Astro prior to City’s UEFA Champions League group-phase opener win over Napoli this week, Rodri previewed the crucial tie against Arsenal and commented on Manchester City’s outlook heading into the weekend.

“Yeah, we’re going with the mentality to win in there (the Emirates Stadium). I don’t care what happened in the last season, I don’t care,” the Spain international said.

“We have the level to go there and show, again, our best shape. And yeah, we know they (Arsenal) are an unbelievable team; they reformed the team every single year with incredible signings and every day they’re potentially better and better, like every single team.

“But yeah, I don’t know; it’s the beginning of the season, but it will be a good message for them (Arsenal) if we go there and win in their home. So this is, I think, our mentality.”

City struggled against the better sides in the Premier League last season, only salvaging a last-gasp 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium and club captain Bernardo Silva is not downplaying the boost a win over City’s title rivals can give to the new-look dressing room.

Silva said: “They’re obviously a strong team, one of the contenders (for the Premier League title). (It is the) beginning of the season, three points, but yeah it’s an important game because it’s not only three points that you can win – it’s three points that you can potentially take from a Premier League contender!”

After naming an unchanged starting XI from the Manchester derby against Napoli on Thursday, Guardiola is expected to shuffle his lineup on Sunday to manage workload and avoid early fatigue in the group as City embark upon another long-drawn, competitive season.