Bernardo Silva has hit out at the scheduling of the Premier League in the wake of Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal
Bernardo Silva has voiced his concerns that Manchester City faced a disadvantage against Arsenal due to the tight scheduling before Sunday’s match.
The teams drew 1-1 at the Emirates Stadium, with Gabriel Martinelli equalising after Erling Haaland’s early goal.
The draw leaves Arsenal trailing league leaders Liverpool by five points and City three points further back.
Both sides appeared fatigued, which could be attributed to their Champions League games during the week; Arsenal played Athletic Club on Tuesday, while City had Napoli over on Thursday.
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Silva, the City skipper, suggested to the Independent that Arsenal’s additional 48 hours of rest was a significant edge: “If we lost, I wouldn’t say this,” he conceded. “But the reality is, we cannot come to one of the most important games of the season with such a disadvantage in terms of rest. It is not fair. They had five days [to recover], and we had two and a half. In one of the most important games, this cannot happen.”, reports Football London.
He also shared his personal struggles: “I wasn’t feeling in perfect condition, and people who haven’t played at the highest level don’t know how it feels. These games demand a lot. We saw Khusanov getting injured. It is just frustrating that we couldn’t be at our best level simply because of a scheduling decision.”
Nevertheless, he praised his team’s spirit: “But in the end we did well in terms of fighting, resilience and sticking together.”
City had the upper hand in the first half and took the lead with Haaland netting from a swift counter-attack. Arsenal upped their game after the interval, controlling the ball and eventually bagging a well-earned leveller thanks to Martinelli’s delicate finish.
Silva voiced his concerns about the disparity in readiness between the teams, hinting that the match should have been scheduled for a later date.
“I felt the difference in the first half,” he remarked. “At this level, playing one of the best teams in the league away, with travel, you need at least one more day to recover.
“It doesn’t matter if Arsenal had four, five or six days – just give us one more, and then it’s an even game. Two and a half days is not enough to recover our bodies and perform at the highest level.
“We don’t mind playing every three or four days, and we don’t mind playing 60 games a season. But we ask for common sense. In one of the biggest games of the season, players need to be in the same physical condition. Otherwise, it is not fair.
“This is not just about City. It could happen to Arsenal or Liverpool in a few months. But when it’s Arsenal v City, or City v Liverpool, or Liverpool v Arsenal, there needs to be more understanding.”
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