In a gripping clash at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City forward Bernardo Silva voiced his frustration, claiming that only one team truly came to play football during the thrilling 2-2 draw against Arsenal. He accused the Gunners of employing “dark arts” to gain an edge, while Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hailed the performance of his team as nothing short of a “miracle,” particularly after they battled with just ten men for the second half.

The match took a dramatic turn when Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard was controversially sent off just before halftime. Following his dismissal, the Gunners managed to hold City to a draw, even after conceding a late equalizer from John Stones in the 98th minute. Arsenal’s second-half possession plummeted to just 12.5%, as Manchester City unleashed a staggering 28 shots, a record only surpassed by their historic ‘Aguero’ title-winning second half against QPR in 2012.

“There was only one team that came to play football,” Silva stated during an interview with TNT Sports Brazil. “The other team played to the limits of what was permissible, according to the referee’s decisions. I’m proud that we always step onto the pitch with the intent to win.” Arsenal were mere seconds away from achieving a monumental victory that would have made them the first away team to triumph at the Etihad since Brentford in November 2022, and would have propelled them to the top of the Premier League standings. Instead, Stones’ last-gasp goal allowed City to reclaim the summit.

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Arteta expressed disbelief at the resilience shown by his side: “It’s a miracle we played 56 minutes at the Etihad with 10 men. What we accomplished is unbelievable.” When asked if he believed Arsenal could have won had Trossard remained on the pitch, Arteta replied, “I have no clue. We would have tried for sure. But 99 out of 100 times, if you play 56 minutes against this team with 10 men, you’re going to lose, and lose by a considerable margin.”

The late concession was particularly frustrating for Arteta, especially considering fourth official Andy Madley had indicated seven minutes of stoppage time. He chose to let others form their opinions regarding Trossard’s red card, which came just a week after midfielder Declan Rice served a one-match ban for a similar infraction. Trossard, already on a yellow card, was shown a second for kicking the ball away after bumping into Silva from behind, as confirmed by the Premier League and referee Michael Oliver.