Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola are ready to do it all over again.
After two successive seasons of Arsenal battling Manchester City in the Premier League title race, it’s time for a third instalment.
Liverpool have started the season well but Arsenal still look like the most likely challengers to Guardiola’s crown.
Gary Neville is backing Arsenal to win the title this season, though City have started with three commanding victories.
The Gunners suffered a frustrating draw against Brighton and Hove Albion before the international break, but largely because of a controversial Declan Rice red card.
The international break at least allows Mikel Arteta to collect his thoughts after that result, but Arsenal face big games upon their return.
Bernardo Silva of Manchester City during the Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Manchester City FC at London Stadium on August 31,...
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Bernardo Silva on Manchester City fixtures
Arsenal return with a North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur before opening the new-look Champions League campaign against Atalanta.
Then it’s Manchester City away, home clashes with Bolton Wanderers and Leicester City and then hosting Paris Saint-Germain to start October.
The fixture pile-up is about to go into overdrive and Manchester City ace Bernardo Silva appears to be furious.
Speaking to Record over in Portugal, Bernardo noted that the new schedule is ‘completely crazy’.
Bernardo has only just heard that City have one day – yes, just one day – of rest between facing Arsenal on the 22nd of September and Watford on the 24th of September.
Bernardo feels that this scheduling is ‘absolutely absurd’, even if some people think that players shouldn’t complain about their work load.
“I think there are two completely different issues here,” said Bernardo. “When the players complain, people say that players can’t complain about the life they have. And they’re right because we’re fulfilling a dream and we do what we do. On the other hand, the schedule is completely crazy.”
“We’ve just received the news that we only have one day off for the English League Cup game. We play Arsenal, we rest for a day and then we have the game against Watford. And if we don’t get knocked out of any other competition, we’ll play every three days for months. It’s been absolutely absurd.
“In the Champions League, if you don’t qualify for the round of 16 you still have to play two more games. It’s true that the squads are bigger, but I’m not going to say that it’s easy. It hasn’t been easy. I spend very little time with my family and friends. The amount of games we’re subjected to is absolutely absurd,” he added.
Arsenal and Manchester City must juggle squads
This scheduling is not what City wanted to hear and Bernardo may be frustrated to learn that Arsenal have two days of rest between facing City and Bolton.
Both teams face big Champions League games just days before locking horns at the Etihad Stadium.
Whilst Arsenal take on Atalanta, City will be facing Serie A champions Inter Milan in a potentially difficult game.
Facing Arsenal just days after that game is far from ideal for City but Guardiola surely won’t need to push his stars into playing against Watford following the Arsenal game.
Bernardo’s comments should be taken seriously though; top players are being asked to play an enormous amount of football now, especially when you factor in international football too – and there will be Arsenal players who no doubt agree with the City playmaker.
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