How Man City won midfield battle against Arsenal – Jamie Carragher highlights Rodri and Bernardo Silva’s impact | Soccer News

Jamie Carragher highlighted how Manchester City won the midfield battle against Arsenal and how he played a key role in giving them a crucial victory over their title rivals.

City’s 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday moved them to within three points of leaders Arsenal with a game in hand to set up a thrilling finale to the Premier League season.

On Monday night footballCarragher praised the performances of City’s experienced midfield duo Rodri and Bernardo Silva as they outplayed Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi.

How Rodri and Silva delivered a midfield masterclass

“Rodri and Bernardo Silva put in one of the best performances as a pair I’ve probably seen in the Premier League,” Carragher said. “The game was won in midfield.”

Carragher highlighted Arsenal’s effective pressing early on, winning six possessions in the final third in the opening 15 minutes, the most of any team in the Premier League this season.

“What happened initially was that Rodri and Silva had Declan Rice and (Martin) Odegaard coming at them, so they couldn’t get the ball into the players,” says Carragher.

However, it was Rodri and Silva’s bravery in possession by dropping deeper to get the ball that changed the game.

“Silva and Rodri finished in the back four,” said Carragher. “They are the centre-backs and take the ball. We saw them lose it early with Silva to Declan Rice. It didn’t stop them getting it back. That’s real courage. To get on the ball and be brave and then play through that pressure from Arsenal.

“They saw a problem and went and gave Arsenal a problem.”

Arsenal not brave enough on the ball

Arsenal were unable to match Rodri and Silva’s ingenuity despite facing Man City’s four-man pressure before, going long from goal kicks.

“There’s a lot of talk about how adventurous Arsenal were. They were without the ball,” Carragher said.

“We go back to the game a few weeks ago in the Carabao Cup final. We know Arsenal had a big problem trying to play past the top four, so from goal kicks they had a different setup.

“Saliba was in the place where Mosquera was and Mosquera was just higher up in a normal right-back position. But the midfielders are higher than a few weeks ago because the plan was to go long and bypass the front four.”

While Rodri and Silva were willing to go into the six-yard box to dribble the ball out of goal kicks, Arsenal could not play out despite having a three-man advantage.

Carragher said: “It’s easy to have courage without the ball. The courage to take the ball from your goalkeeper in your six-yard box in a game of this magnitude is absolutely outstanding.

“Sometimes players don’t really want the ball. That was the big difference in the game, there was courage from Manchester City with and without the ball. Arsenal didn’t have it with the ball.

“You’re talking about a situation where it’s 7 against 4, including your goalkeeper. You have to come out, you have to be brave on the ball, these players don’t want the ball.

“The ball can go to Saliba. It can be cut to Mosquera. Odegaard drops deep, Havertz is there. We saw how Silva and Rodri take the ball in these positions.”

Zubimendi has no legs

Carragher also highlighted Zubimendi’s role in Cherki’s wonderful solo goal that opened the scoring for City.

In the same phase of play, Zubimendi helped his defense crowd Cherki, but then, seconds later, the Arsenal midfielder couldn’t get over quickly enough to avoid scoring in an almost identical situation.

“You have five players around him in this space. Zubimendi comes over and just overshadows Cherki,” Carragher said.

“He’s gone from one end, really deep on the defender’s toes, filling the half spaces.

“The ball comes over quickly and Zubimendi can’t get over. As Cherki gets the ball it’s now four players. It’s still a very difficult proposition for any player in world football. But with one player less there’s slightly more space.

“Zubimendi went to one side and can’t get over to the other side. Now he has just that little bit more space that he needs.”

In the run-up to City’s second goal, Zubimendi gives possession away with a ball forward that goes through to Donnarumma, allowing the keeper to start City on an attack.

“I go back to the courage on the ball and think about Rodri and Bernardo Silva and the flip side, with Zubimendi. He’s a European champion for Spain. That’s the guy you bring in to get on the ball, take the ball in difficult situations, in difficult arenas.

“You’re leaving for the league at Man City. That’s not good enough. That’s what you’re in the team for. That’s what you’re bought for.”

Zubimendi then failed to cover the right side of the pitch as Gabriel Martinelli pounced to push Marc Guehi as Gianluigi Donnarumma played the ball across the wing to Nico O’Reilly.

Carragher said: “Declan Rice likes to be on the left of central midfield. That’s why he urges Zubimendi to get over. Zubimendi can’t get over and he doesn’t have the legs for it.”

Guardiola on the impact of City’s midfield

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday’s game against Burnley, live air sports:

“Bernardo and Rodri have been very important in the last few games. They are experienced, but they have a great personality in the team.

“They can man-mark. They have composure with and without the ball. They are not young guys anymore. They are experienced and have played a lot of these types of games. They know how it should be played. They were exceptional.

“We cannot forget, we have been without Rodri for 17 months. The success of the team depends on the players you have.

“Last season wasn’t perfect but we were in the FA Cup final and we finished third. In the end it’s not a big mess. When that happens it’s harder to be consistent. We also have an incredible player in (Mateo) Kovacic who has been out for a year.

“To say that, Nico Gonzalez, for example, helped us a lot. We were without Rodri, so these guys helped us to be in the position we are in now.”