Rodri questions Arsenal’s ‘mentality’ and says ‘they don’t want to beat us’ as he reveals what cost them title
RODRI has claimed that a difference in “mentality” separated Manchester City and Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
City clinched the Prem title following a 3-1 win over West Ham on Sunday, with the Gunners finishing just two points behind.
The two sides had been battling it out at the top of the table for months, but Pep Guardiola and his team edged it on the final day.
And Rodri believes they did so due to their winning mentality.
The midfielder told Optus Sport: “To be honest, I think it’s in here. It’s the mentality.
“Great players all over the league, all over the clubs.
“Arsenal also they deserve [to win], they did an unbelievable season, but I thin the difference was in here [points to his head].
“When they came here, they faced us at the Etihad, I saw them and said: ‘Ah, these guys, they don’t want to beat us, they just want a draw.’
“And that mentality, I don’t think we would do it the same way.
“And we caught them. At the end, if you give us one point, we will win the last seven, eight games even though it’s so tough. So I think [winning the title] comes down to mentality.”
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Man City took one point from a possible six against Arsenal this season.
Guardiola’s side managed just one shot on target as the Gunners clinched a 1-0 win in October.
Both teams then held each other to a 0-0 draw at the Etihad, although some fans believed Mikel Arteta and his players missed the chance to take maximum points.
The result saw Arsenal drop to second in the Premier League table, two points behind Liverpool.
Meanwhile, City remained one point adrift of the Gunners.
The Sky Blues went on to win their last nine games while Arsenal dropped points in a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa at the Emirates.
Had the north London side beat City at the Etihad, they likely would have gone on to win the title.
Speaking after Sunday’s match, Guardiola said: “In terms of numbers, nobody has been better than us – the records, the goals, the points and four in a row.
“If I land here tomorrow and you say I will win six Premier Leagues in seven years, I would say: ‘Are you crazy?’ It’s impossible.
“We have done something unbelievable. Six Premier Leagues in seven years, in this country with modern football and the teams and everything.
“Before it was Liverpool to push our limits and now it was Arsenal. I want to congratulate Mikel [Arteta], his staff and players from the depths of my heart. They have had an incredible season. I feel it and they push us to our best like before.”
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