"Going to try to win the PL again? Forget about it" - Arsenal's Zinchenko reveals message he received from Manchester City man last summer
Manchester City have edged out Arsenal in the last two Premier League seasons by the slimmest of margins. Bernardo Silva seems confident they can once again outpace the Gunners, as Oleksandr Zinchenko recently shared the message he received from the Portuguese midfielder last summer.
Zinchenko and Silva share a close bond, as the Ukrainian was a Manchester City player before his transfer to Arsenal two years ago. Since Zinchenko’s move, City have maintained their winning momentum, securing the treble in 2023, while narrowly beating Arsenal by two points to claim the Premier League title earlier this year.
Both players clearly have a humorous side, yet remain competitive, especially in light of the growing rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester City. In his recent autobiography Believe, Zinchenko mentioned the blunt message Silva sent him when he asked for a training pitch during his vacation in France.
“I saw on Instagram Bernardo Silva was there (in southern France during the summer) as well. I texted him asking if he knew a pitch to do some exercises.” He wrote back saying, ‘For what, do you need a pitch?’ I replied, ‘I need to run’. He wrote back, ‘Run? For what? You’re going to try to win the Premier League again? Forget about it. Stay at home’..."(via CentreGoals on X)
The rivalry shows no signs of fading, especially after the dramatic events that unfolded when the two teams met in September. Arsenal took a 2-1 lead in the fixture and nearly secured all three points despite being down to ten men, but John Stones equalized in the final minute of stoppage time.
Tensions flared between the players, with Erling Haaland throwing the ball at Gabriel’s head following the equalizer. In response, Gabriel warned Manchester City that Arsenal are “waiting” to face them on home turf.
Arsenal’s Oleksandr Zinchenko talks about the message he received from Manchester City boss
Zinchenko was a key part of the Manchester City squad that achieved 100 points, and he followed it up by helping them become the first team to win all four domestic titles. He also played a crucial role during Manchester City’s run to the Champions League final in 2021.
Guardiola had a significant influence on Zinchenko’s development, having signed him for just £1.7 million in 2016. While the Ukrainian was playing for Arsenal, he stated that the Spanish tactician called him on the night Manchester City won the Champions League to thank him for his contributions.
“I guess no one was sleeping that night, but to get a call from Pep? I couldn’t believe it. He said: ‘Alex, you are a big part of this.’ I was fully surprised in a good way, I said to him, again, a massive thanks for everything he did for me. It shows how good-humoured he could be,” he stated (via Yahoo Sports).
The title race remains fierce between the two sides. Arsenal currently sit third in the Premier League, three points behind second-placed Manchester City. Their next challenge is against league leaders Liverpool, while Pep Guardiola’s team will take on Southampton.