Gary Neville says Man City celebrations after beating Newcastle were ‘mind games at play’ | OneFootball

Gary Neville says he thinks Manchester City’s celebrations after their win over Newcastle on Saturday were “mind games” aimed at Arsenal.

City won 2-1 at the Etihad, moving two points behind leaders Arsenal until Sunday, when the Gunners thrashed Tottenham to extend the gap to five points again though having played a game more than their rivals.

“Man City are dangerous with the fact they’ve got Marmoush, Haaland, Cherki, Semenyo, Foden,” former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said on his podcast.

“If they can keep the centre-backs fit, they’ve got a chance. The goalkeeper’s good, the manager is exceptional.

“The celebrations at the end [after Newcastle] from Haaland and Pep Guardiola were meaningful. They were sending a message. That was mind games at play. Pep will say it’s not, but it is.

“Every time you speak now for the next two months, every time you do something on the pitch, it’s going to be transmitting to the opposition team – that’s vulnerabilities, strength, celebrations, whatever it is.

“So what Arsenal had to cope with and the questions that they’ve had to answer, I missed one of them out and that was the fact that Man City have sent a message that we’re coming for you and we’re going to be breathing down your neck.

“Arsenal have withstood that, and they’re going to have to withstand that for another six to eight weeks. They were never going to get this Premier League title handed to them on a plate. It doesn’t work like that.

“It’s a struggle, it’s a battle, it’s a fight and this City team aren’t quite the team that were going through those fights with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, but there’s still some characters in that dressing room who understand it and know it – and particularly the manager, so they’re going to be so dangerous.

“I think Arsenal will get there, but it doesn’t surprise me that they are making mistakes and that City are coming back at them. They’ll almost crawl over the line in the end.

“It’s going to be a massive struggle. I don’t think it’s going to be easy and that game is going to be monumental at the Etihad [in the Premier League on April 18].”