How City won midfield battle against ARS: Carragher highlights Rodri & B. Silva

Jamie Carragher highlighted how Manchester City won the midfield battle against Arsenal and how it played a key part in earning them a crucial victory over their title rivals.

City's 2-1 win on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium has moved them within three points of leaders Arsenal with a game in hand to set up a thrilling finale to the Premier League season.

On Monday Night Football, Carragher praised the performances of City's experienced midfield duo Rodri and Bernardo Silva for outsmarting Arsenal's Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi.

How Rodri and Silva delivered midfield masterclass

"Rodri and Bernardo Silva gave one of the greatest performances as a pair I've probably seen in the Premier League," said Carragher. "The game was won in midfield."

Carragher highlighted Arsenal's effective press early on, winning possession in the final third six times inside the opening 15 minutes, which is the most of any side in the Premier League this season.

"What happened initially was Rodri and Silva had Declan Rice and (Martin) Odegaard coming right at them, so they couldn't get the ball into the players there," said Carragher.

However, it was Rodri and Silva's bravery in possession by dropping deeper to get the ball that changed the game.

"Silva and Rodri ended up in the back four," said Carragher. "They're the centre-backs and take the ball. We saw them lose it early on with Silva against Declan Rice. It didn't stop them from getting it again. That's real courage. Getting on the ball and being brave and then playing through that press of Arsenal.

"They've seen a problem and gone and given Arsenal a problem."

Arsenal not brave enough on the ball

Arsenal were unable to match Rodri and Silva's ingenuity despite facing Man City's four-man press before, and went long from goal kicks.

"There's a lot of talk about how adventurous Arsenal were. They were without the ball," said Carragher.

"We go back to the fixture a couple of weeks ago in the Carabao Cup final. We know Arsenal had a huge problem trying to play past the front four, so from goal kicks, they had a different setup.

"Saliba was in the place where Mosquera was and Mosquera was just higher up in a normal right-back position. But the midfield players are higher than they were a few weeks ago because the plan was to go long and bypass the front four."

While Rodri and Silva were prepared to go into the six-yard box to dribble the ball out from goal kicks, Arsenal were unable to play out despite having a three-man advantage.

Carragher said: "It's easy to have courage without the ball. The courage to go and get the ball in your six-yard box off your goalkeeper in a game of this magnitude is absolutely outstanding.

"Sometimes players don't really want the ball. That was the big difference in the game, there was courage from Manchester City with and without the ball. Arsenal didn't have it with the ball.

"You're talking about a situation where it's 7 vs 4, including your goalkeeper. You've got to get out, you've got to be brave on the ball, these players don't want the ball.

"The ball can go to Saliba. It can be chipped to Mosquera. Odegaard's dropping deep, Havertz is there. We've seen Silva and Rodri in these positions taking the ball."

Zubimendi lacked legs

Carragher also highlighted Zubimendi's role in Cherki's wonderful solo goal that opened the scoring for City.

In the same phase of play, Zubimendi helped his defence to crowd out Cherki, but then, seconds later, the Arsenal midfielder couldn't get over quickly enough to prevent him from scoring in a near identical situation.

"You've got five players around him in this space. Zubimendi comes across and just shadows Cherki out," said Carragher.

"He's gone from one side, really deep on the defender's toes, and fills the half spaces.

"The ball comes across quickly and Zubimendi can't get over. As Cherki gets the ball, it's now four players. That is still a very difficult proposition for any player in world football. But with one player less, there's slightly more space.

"Zubimendi has gone one side and can't get across to the other. Now he's just got that little bit more space that he needs."

In the build-up to City's second goal, Zubimendi gives away possession with a ball forward that goes through to Donnarumma, which allows the goalkeeper to set City off on an attack.

"I go back to the courage on the ball and think about Rodri and Bernardo Silva and the flip side, with Zubimendi. He is a European champion for Spain. That's the guy you've brought in to get on the ball, take the ball in difficult situations, in tough arenas.

"You're going for the league away at Man City. That's not good enough. That's what you're in the team for. That's what you've been bought for."

Zubimendi was then unable to cover the right side of the pitch as Gabriel Martinelli jumped to press Marc Guehi as Gianluigi Donnarumma played the ball over the winger to Nico O'Reilly.

Carragher said: "Declan Rice likes being on the left of central midfield. That's why he urges Zubimendi to get across. Zubimendi can't get across and he hasn't got the legs to."