Rodri issues stern “revenge” warning to Arsenal ahead of Manchester City clash | OneFootball

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has warned Arsenal that he and his teammates will be out for “revenge” when they face Mikel Arteta’s side at the Emirates Stadium.

The clash has become one of the defining fixtures of the Premier League calendar in recent years, with Arsenal rising as Manchester City’s most persistent challengers for domestic dominance.

Pep Guardiola’s side may have had the upper hand in recent title races, but Arteta’s men have landed blows of their own, none more emphatic than last season’s 5-1 win at the Emirates Stadium – a result that came during City’s weakest period of the campaign.

In the build-up to this weekend’s meeting, several players have been vocal in their recollections, with Bernardo Silva admitting that Arsenal’s hammering was fuelled by frustration at seeing Manchester City deny them the title in successive years.

Ruben Dias dismissed talk of Arsenal’s on-field mind games, insisting Manchester City focus only on themselves, while Pep Guardiola playfully turned the spotlight on Arsenal and Liverpool’s spending when asked about financial narratives around his team.

Speaking as part of a new interview with Sky Sports, alongside fellow Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva, Rodri insisted that he and his teammates have a feeling of “revenge” coming into the clash against Arsenal following last season’s 5-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium.

“We have a bit of [a feeling of] revenge for Arsenal because we were in a bad moment and they took advantage of that,” said Rodri in reference to Manchester City’s last meeting with Arsenal.

The Spaniard continued, “We want to make them feel we’re not that team again, and we’re going to compete and try to beat them in their home.”

In response, sat alongside Rodri, Bernardo Silva said, “I don’t like to use the word ‘revenge’ but,” sparking Sky Sports’ reporter to say, “[The] Captain doesn’t like [the word ‘revenge’].”

“I do,” Rodri snapped back, with a smirk and smile on his face.

The Ballon d’Or title holder also commented on the Premier League title race as part of the same interview, as he said, “Right now, I think Liverpool and Arsenal are a bit favourites [for the title] from what they’ve done in the past.

“But still I don’t think they know what we’re able to do, so that’s a good point for us. We want to raise the level, and let’s talk in February and March, and see if we can raise this level.”

Rodri’s fighting talk underlines a determination within Manchester City’s dressing room to flip the narrative on its head, and the midfielder’s return to form and fitness after last season’s long injury layoff has already transformed Guardiola’s side.

Ruben Dias acknowledged recently just how important Rodri’s presence is both defensively and creatively, and looking ahead, Manchester City will be desperate to prove that the dip that allowed Arsenal such a heavy win was an anomaly.

A convincing result in North London this weekend could not only put down an early marker in the title race but also re-establish psychological authority in what is fast becoming one of English football’s biggest competitive rivalries.