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“You were like fucking Cannavaro today.” Erling Haaland scored the winner in Manchester City’s colossal 2-1 victory against Arsenal but he was quick to highlight the real standout performer: his team’s captain, Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese midfielder will leave City in the summer after nine trophy-laden seasons, and his latest all-action display against gave everyone a clear reminder of what Pep Guardiola’s side will be losing when he departs.
Haaland was referring to a crucial headed clearance late on, with Silva defending his own box and beating 6ft 2in striker Viktor Gyökeres to a dangerous cross. Silva and Cannavaro play in different positions, but the comparison to the World Cup-winning centre-back felt pretty accurate. Like Cannavaro, Silva is not particularly tall or physically imposing, but he compensates with his outstanding timing, bravery and reading of the game.
There was a similar moment earlier in the game when Bernardo was left one-on-one with Kai Havertz, another taller and more physical opponent. Arsenal had played a long ball over the top to their forward but Silva matched him stride for stride and snuffed out the danger. Silva’s touch map below highlights how involved he was across the pitch; he had just as much, if not more, influence in his own defensive third as he did in Arsenal’s half.
He ran himself into the ground. Silva covered more distance than any player in the match (12.3km). That’s entirely in keeping with his season; he has covered more ground in the Premier League than any Manchester City player (327km), some 40km more than the next-highest.
Then there was his influence in possession. Alongside Rodri, Silva knitted City’s play together, particularly as they took control after the interval. The Silva-to-Rodri passing combination (17) was the joint-most common in the match. Silva took the game by the scruff of the neck and City began to push Arsenal further back.
City had slightly more possession in the first half but they had far more territory in the second. They pinned Arsenal back with sustained pressure and were able to progress the ball much more effectively into Arsenal’s third.
City’s final-third entries rose from 11 in the first half to 33 in the second, while their touches in the Arsenal box climbed from 15 to 25. Their zones of control map shows just how much they dictated play in the middle of the park.
This was yet another example of a big-game player delivering again when it mattered. It was fitting that the victory took Silva level with David Silva for Premier League matches won for Manchester City.
Guardiola was emotional when discussing his impact after the match. “If you continue to talk about him, I will cry, so be careful,” he said. “It will be so emotional the moment when he is going to leave. Bernardo is Bernardo. You cannot define him. Without him, my nine years would be so, so different. He’s special.”
Since joining in 2017-18, Silva has never played fewer than 45 matches in a season for City. Over that period, he has made 452 appearances in all competitions, more than any other player across Europe’s top five leagues, above Mohamed Salah (439) and Antoine Griezmann (434). Guardiola has relied on him so consistently for so long.
City have already said goodbye to several influential midfielders from their era of dominance under Guardiola, including Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gündogan, Fernandinho and David Silva. Of the current squad, few serial winners remain. Rodri is one. Silva is another.
After Rodri picked up an injury against Arsenal, Silva may once again be asked to lead from the front in the closing stages of the season. It’s a role he knows well. He has done it before, helping deliver six Premier League titles. Few would bet against him adding a seventh.
This is an article by Opta Analyst
