WE’VE GOT TO BE PERFECT
RODRI SAYS BLUES CAN’T AFFORD ANY MISTAKES
RODRI admits City cannot afford a single slip-up as they bid to secure a second consecutive trophy treble.
The Blues head into tomorrow’s showdown with Arsenal a point behind the Premier League leaders and will then face eight games in April, including a two-legged Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid and FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea.
Victory over Mikel Arteta’s side could go a long way towards securing an unprecedented fourth straight Premier League title and would also extend Rodri’s remarkable unbeaten run in all competitions to 62 matches.
“It’s a very, very important match,” said the Spain midfielder, whose last defeat came for his national side against Scotland on March 28 last year.
“I’m not saying it’s going to be decisive, but it will be very important for the mental fight in the sense of if we are able to beat them it will be very important for our confidence, and we will show them that we are here again.
“It’s not just this game that’s like a final, it’s all of them from now until the end of the season. We’re still in every competition, but any game that you lose can practically leave you out of the running.
“Really that’s the level that this league demands from you, to reach between 90 and 100 points to be able to win the league.
“So, we have to win practically every game and that starts against Arsenal, who are currently the league leaders.
“The target for us is to put ourselves into a position where we can fight until the end, and this is something we have been working on and to arrive in this moment.
“Now is the moment that we have to do the last push. The goal is to fight for everything.”
JACK Grealish has told his City team-mates that they have to beat Arsenal if they want to win the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola’s side know better than anyone else the various ways to come out on top over 38 games, and will be stressing how tomorrow’s meeting is not a title decider.
However, the Blues know that home advantage will be crucial if they are to lift the trophy and beating Arsenal will put them in a much better position with nine games to go as they will leapfrog the current leaders.
“We have to win. We are behind them at the moment. We know it is going to be a tough game, but I just feel that when teams come to the Etihad, I feel like we always make it difficult for them,” said Grealish.
“I don’t think we’ve lost at the Etihad for about 16 months or something.
“It is a game that we are looking forward to and you want to play in. I am looking forward to it.
“Obviously, they have added Declan [Rice] and [Kai] Havertz who are both playing really well at the moment. They might have a bit more experience than last season.
We have to win. We are behind them at the moment. We know it is going to be a tough game Jack Grealish
“In both this season and last season, they have had a young side and last season was their first real time in a title race, so this year they might have a bit more experience.
“But listen, I think it is all about us at the moment and if we go out there and win the game then it puts us in a great position.”
Grealish will be hoping to make his first start in a month when City take on Arsenal.
The England international injured his groin again in the FA Cup win over Luton and has had to work his way back from another injury, undertaking an individual programme of training at the City Football Academy over the past fortnight to try and be at his best for Guardiola in the run-in.