Manchester City star Rodri has warned Arsenal his team are going all out for victory in Sunday’s heavyweight Premier League showdown.
Reigning champions Liverpool have set a relentless pace at the top of the table and could open up a significant gap over their mostly likely title rivals should they extend their winning run against Everton on Saturday.
A new-look City team stumbled over the course of the opening weeks of the season with consecutive defeats against Tottenham and Brighton raising serious concerns.
Pep Guardiola’s side have picked up the pace again, however, since the international break with victories against Manchester United and Napoli suggesting it is far too soon to write them off.
A visit to the Emirates, however, is likely to represent an acid test of their credentials given Arsenal’s imperious form and seemingly impenetrable defence.
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The Gunners have won the last two meetings between the sides in north London with last season’s incident-packed 5-1 win one of the standout results of Mikel Arteta’s reign.
Rodri missed that match following the serious knee injury he sustained in the reverse fixture almost exactly a year ago but he insists the battering his team took back in February will play no part in how City approach Sunday’s renewal of hostilities.
He said: ‘We’re going with the mentality to win there. I don’t care what happened last season, I don’t care. We have the level to go there and show again our best shape.
‘We know they’re an unbelievable team, they reformed the team every single year with incredible signings and every day they’re potentially better and better.
‘It’s the beginning of the season, but it will be a good message if we go there and win in their home. So this is our mentality.’
Those sentiments were echoed by Rodri’s teammate, Bernardo Silva, who regards Arsenal as title rivals.
He said: ‘They’re obviously a strong team, one of the contenders,
‘Beginning of the season… three points, but it’s an important game because it’s not only three points that you can win it’s three points you can potentially take from a Premier League contender.’
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