Bernardo Silva Blames Transition and Costly Errors for Manchester City’s Title Struggle
Bernardo Silva has pointed to Manchester City’s transitional phase and a series of costly mistakes as the main reasons the club may fall short in the Premier League title race this season.
The Manchester City midfielder made the candid admission while reflecting on the campaign, insisting that Pep Guardiola’s side would likely have retained the league crown under different circumstances.
Speaking to The Athletic, Silva said he believes City’s primary title rivals were Liverpool FC “by far,” but argued that internal issues within City ultimately affected their push. According to him, the team’s ongoing transition and avoidable errors in key moments cost them valuable points.
He stressed that while winning the title would not have been easy, City would still have come out on top if they had shown more consistency and avoided mistakes throughout the season.
With only two matches left to play, City currently sit two points behind Arsenal, meaning the title race remains mathematically open but no longer fully in their control.
Silva’s remarks offer a rare glimpse into the mindset inside the City camp, where frustration appears to be growing over a season that may end below the standards set by Guardiola’s dominant side in recent years.
Opinion: Bernardo’s Comments Reveal the Standards That Define Manchester City
Bernardo Silva’s comments are striking not because they sound arrogant, but because they reflect the extraordinary standards Manchester City have built under Pep Guardiola. For many clubs, being just two points off the top with two games remaining would be seen as a successful campaign. At City, it feels like failure.
The mention of a “transitional season” is particularly telling. Even while competing for the title, City are clearly adapting to changes in personnel, tactics, and perhaps the natural cycle of a squad that has dominated English football for years. That transition may not be obvious to outsiders, but players inside the team feel it.
Silva’s frustration also highlights how thin the margins are at the top level. One or two poor performances, dropped points, or defensive errors can decide an entire season when competing against clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool.
What stands out most is his confidence that City would have won the league under normal circumstances. That statement may frustrate rival fans, but it also shows the mentality that has driven the club’s success: they do not just compete; they expect to finish first.
As the season closes, City’s fate may depend on Arsenal slipping up. But regardless of the final outcome, Silva’s remarks show that even near-perfect campaigns can feel incomplete when the benchmark is sustained dominance.
