Riyad Mahrez reveals he was ‘killing’ Arsenal player during Premier League title race
Riyad Mahrez has disclosed that he dominated Arsenal’s star and former Manchester City teammate Oleksandr Zinchenko during the competition for the Premier League title.
Zinchenko, who had won the Premier League four times with Manchester City, joined Arsenal last summer in a £30 million transfer, aiming to help the club clinch their first league title since 2004.
Throughout the season, the Ukrainian player proved to be one of Mikel Arteta’s key assets, as Arsenal unexpectedly contended for the title and remained at the top of the table for a significant portion of the campaign.
However, Arsenal’s performance declined significantly towards the end of the season, ultimately enabling Manchester City to secure their third consecutive title with three games remaining.
When questioned about his communication with Zinchenko during Manchester City’s intense title race against Arsenal, Mahrez shared with beIN SPORTS: “I’m killing him!”
Mahrez’s Manchester City team-mate Phil Foden then said: “You two are never off the phone…”
Algeria winger Mahrez continued: “Yeah, I’m always on the phone to him. He’s my friend so we’re always joking about things and talking about stuff.
“But he’s a bit sad at the moment so I’ll wait until we lift the trophy and then I’ll call him again.”
Nottingham Forest handed Arsenal a 1-0 defeat, extending the Gunners’ poor form, and as a result, Manchester City clinched the English title for the fifth time in six years.
City captain Ilkay Gundogan said: “The Premier League is without doubt the most demanding and competitive league in the world, so that tells you everything about what an achievement this is.
“To have won this trophy three times in a row and five times in six years is incredible. That quality and consistency helps sum up what Manchester City stand for and ensures the club will continue to strive for success going forward.
“It has been a season I will never forget.”
Arsenal boss Arteta, meanwhile, said: “I am incapable of thinking about it right now. We have to congratulate Man City.
“It has been an incredible journey for us over 10 months competing with City, being ahead of them for so long.
“We have learned huge lessons. We have transformed a lot at this club. We have made huge steps, but the icing on the cake is to win a championship and we fell short.”
Following their successful acquisition of another league title, Manchester City will now shift their focus towards the potential achievement of a historic treble. They are set to face Inter Milan in the Champions League final and Manchester United in the FA Cup final, aiming to secure victories in both competitions.
Riyad Mahrez reveals he was ‘killing’ Arsenal player during Premier League title race
