'We played like U15s!' - Bernardo Silva admits Man City 'deserved to pay for stupid decisions' after crushing derby defeat to Man Utd

Bernardo Silva says Manchester City "played like under-15s" and deserved to pay for their "stupid decisions" in their 2-1 loss to Manchester United.

Posted Monday, December 16, 2024 by Goal.com

WHAT HAPPENED?

City threw away a 1-0 lead with two goals in the last two minutes to fall to a gut-wrenching loss at the Etihad on Sunday. In the lead-up to United's penalty, Josko Gvardiol's backpass played his team into trouble, and then Matheus Nunes clumsily brought down Amad Diallo in the box. Then Gvardiol missed the chance to make a gettable goalline clearance for Amad's winner. After the match, midfielder Bernardo did not hold back in his criticism of how his side wilted under pressure.

WHAT BERNARDO SILVA SAID

He told Sky Sports: "If minute 87 of a derby you're winning 1-0, corner for your team, and the ball ends up at your keeper with a penalty for them, my friend, if you make these stupid decisions when it's three or four minutes to go, you deserve to pay for that.

"We have to look at ourselves. It's not about, 'Oh we're playing so well and it's a bit unlucky'. No! It's the decisions that you make. Today in the last minutes we played like Under-15s and you pay the price."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

City's loss means they have won just one of their last 11 games in all competitions, with Pep Guardiola's side nine points behind league leaders Liverpool - and Arne Slot's men still have a game in hand. City are in a crisis and there appears to be no quick fix.

WHAT NEXT?

Bernardo's City side will have to stew on this defeat for nearly a week as they are next in action on Saturday away to Aston Villa in the Premier League.