Bernardo Silva claims Arsenal had advantage as blunt point made over 'not fair' decision

Bernardo Silva believes Manchester City were at a disadvantage against Arsenal because of the scheduling in the build-up to Sunday’s clash.

The two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium, with Gabriel Martinelli’s late strike cancelling out an opener from Erling Haaland.

The result leaves Arsenal five points behind league leaders Liverpool, while City trail the Gunners by a further three.

Both teams looked laboured at times, perhaps unsurprising given their midweek Champions League commitments. Arsenal faced Athletic Club on Tuesday evening, while City hosted Napoli on Thursday.

According to City captain Silva, the extra 48 hours of rest Arsenal enjoyed gave them a significant advantage, per the Independent.

“If we lost, I wouldn’t say this,” he admitted. “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.

“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.

“But in the end we did well in terms of fighting, resilience and sticking together.”

City had the better of the first half and went ahead when Haaland finished off a counter-attack. Arsenal were more adventurous after the break, dominating possession and eventually earning a deserved equaliser through Martinelli’s lofted finish.

Silva argued that the difference in sharpness between the sides was evident and suggested the game should have been played later.

“I felt the difference in the first half,” he said. “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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