Bernardo Silva risks FA charge with match official comments following Manchester City draw with Nottingham Forest | OneFootball

Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva could face the same charges struck on Rodri by the Football Association through his own comments on match officials.

The 2-2 stalemate at the Etihad Stadium proved to be a frustrating evening for Manchester City, whose Premier League title ambitions suffered a major blow as rivals Arsenal extended their advantage at the summit.

Pep Guardiola’s side twice took the lead against Vitor Pereira’s Nottingham Forest, only to be pegged back on each occasion by Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson in a contest littered with controversy inside the visitors’ penalty area.

City felt aggrieved over a number of decisions, particularly challenges involving Erling Haaland, as appeals for spot-kicks were waved away by on-field referee Darren England and those reviewing the incidents on VAR.

The sense of injustice appeared to spill over at full-time, with club captain Bernardo Silva offering a candid assessment in his post-match media duties.

Speaking to TNT Sports after City’s 2-2 home draw with Forest, Silva was quizzed on a number of key incidents inside the visitors’ penalty area that led to significant appeals for penalties in favour of Pep Guardiola’s side.

“We’re quite used to it this season because all 50/50s have gone against us. It’s the reality,” the Portuguese midfielder hit out.

He continued, “I’ve just watched, for example, the Erling [Haaland] incident [with Nottingham Forest goalkeeper, Matz Sels], and for me it’s a penalty. Some might have a different opinion. What can Erling do?

“As I said, we’re used to it. We know how it works. For us, our job is just to be better because these things we cannot control. What we can control is our own performances and that’s what we need to focus on.”

Those remarks could now attract scrutiny from the Football Association, particularly given the ongoing case involving teammate Rodri. The Spaniard was recently charged under FA Rule 3.1 after suggesting in a televised interview that refereeing standards and neutrality had impacted City in the 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in North London.

The governing body takes a firm stance on comments deemed to question the integrity or impartiality of match officials, and Bernardo Silva’s suggestion that “all 50/50s” have gone against Manchester City may be interpreted as implying systemic bias.

Should a charge follow, Pep Guardiola would face the prospect of further disruption during a pivotal stretch of domestic fixtures. For now, the focus within the camp remains on responding on the pitch.

However, with tensions rising in a fiercely contested Premier League title race, Manchester City’s words off it may prove just as consequential as their performances on it.