Man City boss Guardiola labels Bernardo Silva “one of the best ever” after goal in Liverpool win [video] | OneFootball

Bernardo one of the best ever - Guardiola (Getty Images)

Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola lavished praise on captain Bernardo Silva after the Portuguese scored a vital goal in a comeback win over Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League.

City found themselves training to a stunning free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai (74’) which threatened to leave them nine points behind league leaders Arsenal. However, Bernardo popped up with a vital equaliser (84’) before playing an exquisite pass for fellow Portugal man Matheus Nunes to draw a foul from Liverpool goalkeeper Allison and earn a penalty from which Erlin Haaland scored the winner.

Speaking after the match, City boss Guardiola made special mention of Bernardo, whom he describes as one of their greatest players and an inspiration to everyone – including himself. Surprisingly, the goal was Bernardo’s first in the Premier League this term, but comes after a run in which the Seleção man had provided three assists in his previous five matches in all competitions.

“The first half was exceptional but many times we are not composed enough in the final third,” Guardiola began. “We have to be a little bit calmer, to take the right decision in the box and take a coffee. As a defender and as a striker.

“We are young in many things. Second half we knew they would push a little bit harder.

“In the second half the ball came quick and it came back quicker. After that we allowed the crowd to be involved. After hats off for the goal from Szoboszlai - copy and paste from the Arsenal game.

“At the end we were guided by our incredible player, one of the best ever to play or train - our captain Bernardo.

“We follow him, I follow him too. He puts the team in front of himself. He does things through his own example. Everybody follows him, me the first.

“He scored the first one from the Erling assist, and made the assist for Matheus for the penalty.

“We won finally at Anfield. Always it’s so difficult. I’m happy with the result for the guys because we were there.”

It is the first time City, who introduced Rúben Dias on the hour mark, have recorded a double over Liverpool in the English top flight for 89 years. Bernardo was named Player of the Match and admitted that there was a necessity to take all three points from what is typically viewed as the toughest fixture in the team’s seasonal calendar.

“Obviously coming here, for me it’s the toughest place in the Premier League by far,” Bernardo said. “And usually for most teams a draw is not a bad result but we needed another goal. When I scored I was happy but we needed another one. Erling got us that one.

“I feel the whole team knew before the game, if we lost then probably the title race was over. We felt like we needed to win the game. That puts us a bit closer. The hope is there. We’re going to fight until the end. Six points is still six points. We’re happy but we need to keep doing our job.

“Obviously we’re very happy. But these points count as much as any other points in other games that we slipped. It was frustrating in the beginning of the year because in my opinion we didn’t do our job properly. We could have been closer to Arsenal.”

By Sean Gillen