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'Not over yet': Bernardo Silva on Manchester City winning Premier League title
During the international break, City midfielder Bernardo Silva opened up on the possibilities of his side winning the title this season, and also spoke about his recent struggles.
Manchester City have taken a healthy lead at the top of the Premier League football table. The Pep Guardiola's side is 14-points ahead of 2nd-placed Manchester United. During the international break, City midfielder Bernardo Silva opened up on the possibilities of his side winning the title this season, and also spoke about his recent struggles.
Excerpts:
Many people will look at the league table and say the race for the title is over. Manchester City are going to win. What do you say?
Of course, we are in a very good position but until it is mathematically over I don’t like to think we have won already. I am not going to lie. We are not going to say we are not in a very good position because of course, we are. Nine games to go for us if I am not mistaken and we have fourteen more points even playing one more game than our opponents. The position is very good but it is not over yet.
How does this team compare with the squad that won the title a couple of years ago with 100 points – a record total?
It’s a different team, different players. It is a very solid team at the back with the number of clean sheets that we had this season. It shows how solid this team is. It’s not only the defenders. It’s everyone that works a lot so our pressing works. We don’t concede goals from the goalkeeper to our strikers. It’s a team that at the start of the season was not easy for us. But we have been very competitive with each other and we set the standards very high so that we could do these twenty-one games in a row winning. That put us in this position that is very good to win some titles. I don’t like to compare teams because until we know what happens at the end of the season and whether we win titles or not I like to compare this team to other teams that won. For example, the last time we won the premier league we won four titles in that year. So until the season is over, I prefer not to compare the teams.
How did it feel last season to see Liverpool take your title?
It felt bad. It was frustrating. When you are used to winning it is never good to be second. We don’t want to be second. We want to be first and stay there. The feeling when you win is much better than the feeling when you lose. This season we promised each other that we would give not 100 percent but 200 percent to come back stronger and to win again this important title that is the Premier League.
Recently, Pep Guardiola said Bernardo Silva is back. Where had he been, why was he struggling?
I have always been here. I like to think I have always been here. In football as in life, to have moments when you perform a little bit better than others. Nowadays in football people tend to exaggerate not only the good but the bad. When you are doing well people think you are the best and you are not. When you are doing not that well people think you are the worst. Things normally are not like that. Normally you are not either here or here. You are either here or here (gesticulates) it’s not as simple as people think. I always do my best. Sometimes I feel in better shape. Sometimes I am more confident. Sometimes my performances are better. What I can assure the club and the fans is I always give my best. I have always done that. That’s what makes me happy. If I have done my best, no matter if I do a little bit better or a little bit worse, then I am happy with myself.
Many people are very excited about the progress of Phil Foden. If you could sum him up in just three words, what would that three words be?
Well, I think hungry – in terms of him being young and wants to achieve a lot of things. You can feel the way he trains and the way he plays. Driven and very dynamic. I think Phil has shown how dynamic he can be. How focused he is not only to work for the team in all aspects but to score goals. He is very driven. I think he is developing a lot and he can be one of the best players here at man city for many, many, many years. He loves the club. He was born here. I am happy for him because it is a dream come true when you are able to play at your club, at your own home team. So I am very happy for him.
Can you give us an example from a game or in training or just from the way he lives his life that shows what he is about?
I think we have had some examples with Phil. Sometimes he plays a little bit more often. Sometimes he doesn’t play as much. But it doesn’t matter if he plays five minutes or ninety minutes. When you see him on the pitch he gives everything he can. That shows that he is committed to the club and committed to the team and that is very important in a player.
Catch all the live action of Premier League and tune-in to watch Leicester City v Manchester City on Saturday, 3 April 2021 at 10 PM only on Star Sports Select.
