Bernardo Silva sends stark Manchester City warning to Arsenal ahead of Carabao Cup final | OneFootball

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has rallied a new-look dressing room to push for silverware in the future as he looks to pass over the baton to the next generation of stars at the Etihad Stadium.

The Portuguese has under four months left on his current contract as he looks to lead Pep Guardiola and co to a fifth Premier League title in six seasons in what is increasingly looking like Silva’s final season in England.

Silva is not expected to make a public announcement over his next chapter anytime soon as Manchester City remain in the hunt for silverware on four fronts in the closing months of the season.

A sole goal from Antoine Semenyo against Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday saw Manchester City claim a sixth consecutive win and move to within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal, who face Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday evening.

City are set to push Arsenal all the way in the title race once again as Guardiola and co aim for a successful finish to their premier campaign under the stewardship of director of football Hugo Viana.

Viana has revamped Guardiola’s squad significantly since replacing Txiki Begiristain and in an interview for the March issue of Manchester City’s official magazine, Silva has admitted he is hoping to instil a culture of winning in a young, new-look dressing room for the future.

“For sure, the hunger is still here, even though we were really successful in the past,” the 31-year-old said. “The challenge of having all of these young guys coming in and trying to put the club back where it deserves to be and putting these young guys ready to fight for this club, for the next five, six years, like we did our generation in the past.

“That’s a massive challenge and I would love to do that successfully, you know? I would love to be gone one day, to look back and to see that when I left the club, I left it at a time where it was in a very good place and could still fight for all the top honours. That’s my goal.”

Silva played 90 minutes at Elland Road on Saturday evening as Manchester City maintained the pressure on Arsenal, who have it all to do if they are to fend off another title hijack from the masters of the chase at the Etihad Stadium.

City fans will be secretly retaining a glimmer of hope that club officials can somehow convince their skipper to extend his contract but it is more hope than belief at this point.

There has been next to zero chatter over contract talks between Silva and executives at the Etihad Stadium, who will be looking to recruit in the transfer market accordingly should they witness the Portugal international head towards the exit door when the time comes.

Until then, Silva and the Manchester City regiment remain in the running for an unprecedented quadruple and while the jury remains out on how ready this new-look side are for sustained success, it could well and truly be a special season for the Blues if they play their cards right.