Everyone can see why Pep Guardiola was determined to hold onto Bernardo Silva for the summer.
Supporters of Manchester City were always aware of this, of course, but the Portugal playmaker appears to have improved recently, particularly in the derby victory when he controlled the game. The 29-year-old initiated many attacking plays and occasionally joined in himself, in addition to helping out defensively.
Like almost all of Guardiola’s early acquisitions, Bernardo has been with the team for six years and has developed into one of their most dependable players. After Ilkay Gundogan won the Triple Crown, Barcelona won one of them the previous season.
Bernardo was also being called for by the Nou Camp, and not for the first time. Guardiola persuaded the midfield player to stay after he had spoken with the Spanish powerhouses in the summer of 2022, and the same thing has happened this year.
He really signed an extension in August that will keep him at the Etihad until 2026. Since then, Silva has demonstrated his incredible strength and adaptability. He was suggested by many to replace Kevin De Bruyne in light of the Belgian’s chronic injuries.
Another was Phil Foden, but surprisingly enough, Julian Alvarez has flourished there. Bernardo hasn’t gone without assistance with that. This season, he has contributed to the offence in five different positions: on the right and in the middle.
He has been asked to help Rodri more recently. He has played as a deeper-lying midfielder who goes box-to-box in his own style in the last four Premier League games. Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes are having a hard time keeping up with him because of his exceptional performance.
It will serve as a reminder to the summer signing class. After his inconsistent performance against Arsenal, where he was lucky not to get sent off, Kovacic has not been used the same. Since then, he has only started one league game, but it was both victories over Young Boys.
Matheus Nunes, meanwhile, hasn’t quite reached the heights he displayed when he first arrived. The loss to Wolves appeared to be a turning moment because the team’s subsequent performances have been mediocre at best.
He hasn’t featured in the Premier League for just 19 minutes since the loss to Arsenal a month ago, but his assist against Young Boys on Tuesday might have given fans hope.
On the other hand, Bernardo has only missed five league minutes since being out of the game against Wolves. In his previous two appearances, he has scored two goals and assisted another, both of which came in central midfield.
In addition, he is cautioning Nunes and Kovacic that they must always perform at the highest level or else someone else will take their place. Because of the variety the club offers, almost every position on the pitch is always up for grabs.
While Kalvin Phillips, who is not in the starting lineup, will always have to fight for playing time, John Stones is now another midfield alternative. It’s not that Kovacic or Nunes have been unresponsive; they’ve just not been operating at full capacity.
A team that had just won the Treble needed hunger restored, and there’s little doubt that Nunes and Kovacic have provided it. But maybe, with longtime employee Bernardo setting the example, they are picking up what it takes to be a part of an overwhelming, winning machine.