Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva is optimistic his side can still challenge for the Premier League title if the club’s fleet of injured players recover.
Bernardo played the 90 minutes City draw 2-2 at the Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon. The two-time defending top-flight champions had to come from behind at Selhurst Park before Rico Lewis’ controversial red card derailed their chances of all three points.
City ended their seven game winless run with one 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest in midweek, but this weekend’s draw leaves Pep Guardiola’s side languishing in fourth place, eight points behind Liverpool who have a game in hand.
Despite the club’s dire run of form, Bernardo offered some perspective. “We are in December,” said the Portuguese midfielder BBC Sports after the trip to south london. “We would like to be in a different position. If we get our players back quickly, we can always do that.”
GuardiolaThe team as a whole has been without talismanic midfielder Rodri since September. Mateo Kovacic joined the Ballon d’Or winner on the sidelines last month, while Phil Foden, John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake were left out of the draw for Crystal Palace.
“With Man City it’s always two points lost. A point is better than zero, but we’re not happy at the moment. We know our situation with injuries,” Bernardo admitted. “The last month and a half has not been good enough.”
The municipal coach Guardiola gave a more negative tone. “It’s a season to survive,” the Catalan coach told reporters after the game. “We can’t talk about the title race when we lose four games in a row and draw.”
The festive flurry of games doesn’t give City’s injured much time to recover. Four days after a trip to the Italian giants Juventus in the Champions League, City host Manchester United in the first Manchester derby of the season. When Ruben Amorim went for the last time face to face with Guardiolahis Sporting CP team secured a 4-1 win.
