“I don’t really care about them” – Ruben Dias hits back at Arsenal’s on-field mind games | OneFootball

Manchester City’s Ruben Dias has hit back at perceived on-field mind games from Arsenal’s players, particularly prevalent during last season’s clashes between the sides.

The two clubs have built a fierce rivalry in recent seasons, with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal emerging as Manchester City’s most consistent challengers in the Premier League in both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigans.

From heated exchanges at the Emirates to tense tactical battles at the Etihad, meetings between the two have often been laced with psychological edges as much as footballing quality on show.

Manchester City, however, enter this season with renewed confidence off the back of a hugely problematic last campaign, having put together a strong pre-season tour in the eyes of Pep Guardiola, and recovering key figures from long-term injuries such as Oscar Bobb and Rodri.

That theme of resilience has been echoed throughout Guardiola’s squad in recent press conferences, with Bernardo Silva recently reminding Arsenal that their emphatic 5-1 victory last season was perhaps fuelled by revenge after City had denied them the title in successive years.

As for words issued by Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City boss has playfully dismissed scrutiny of his side’s transfer spending by pointing to Arsenal and Liverpool’s own recruitment. Now, Ruben Dias has added his own strong words to the narrative.

Speaking ahead of City’s visit to North London this weekend, Dias has insisted that he simply does not care about perceived on-field mind games from Mikel Arteta’s players, instead focussing on the work of his own side.

“I don’t really care about them [Arsenal]. I just care about us. If other people want to play games because of rivalries, or whatever feeds them, go ahead. Be what you want to be. We believe in what we do,” Dias bullishly responded.

The Portuguese international continued, “We play games to win for ourselves, for our families, our people. That’s the way to be, and that’s how you pull off what we pulled off.

“That’s what we believe in and nothing is bigger in our minds than knowing we have to be the best version of ourselves. It doesn’t matter who we’re against.”

Dias was also quizzed on the importance of Rodri, off the back of the Spaniard’s consistent return to Manchester City action following a knee ligament injury that ruled him out for the majority of the last campaign.

“He’s obviously very important, massively important,” Dias said of the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner. “In any team you need your best players available.

“Obviously him, he has a special ability to win a ball defensively and, with the ball, make the team breathe. That is very important.”

Manchester City’s vocal responses in recent weeks suggest a squad determined to reclaim psychological ground against their rivals, with Arsenal boasting a strengthened squad after several transfer windows of steady investment.

Pep Guardiola’s men know they will be tested not just physically but mentally this season, and Dias’ message of self-focus will likely resonate within the dressing room, where leaders such as Bernardo Silva and Rodri – alongside Erling Haaland – continue to set the standard.

How that approach translates onto the pitch at the Emirates Stadium will be crucial, as a convincing result could tilt the balance of the title race narrative back towards Manchester City, while another frustrating afternoon would embolden Mikel Arteta’s group further.