Guardiola salutes “legend” Bernardo as City beat Arsenal | OneFootball

Guardiola embraces Bernardo after Arsenal win [Getty Images]

Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal

The Premier League title race took a significant turn on Sunday afternoon as Manchester City defeated league leaders Arsenal 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium, ensuring the battle to become English champions will be closely-contested during the final weeks of the season.

Goals from Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland, either side of Kai Havertz’s equaliser, saw the hosts come out winners from a tense match in Manchester, after which City cut the Gunners’ lead at the top to just three points with one game in-hand, which they will play against Burnley on Wednesday.

Bernardo Silva played the full 90 minutes in midfield alongside Rodri and was voted Man of the Match by Sky Sports for a typically complete display. The Seleção man was assured on the ball as always, racking up a 90% pass completion rate, but it was equally the tactical assurance and defensive coverage which caught the eye of analysists who joined in eulogising Bernardo’s performance.

Speaking after the match, City manager Pep Guardiola admitted that his usual tendency to bestow praise upon the Portuguese now renders him close to tears, given Bernardo’s recent public confirmation that he will leave City at the end of his contract this summer and continue his career elsewhere.

“Bernardo? Gratitude. If I talk a lot I will cry,” Guardiola said. “[I’d like to say] thank you so much on behalf of this club for what you have done. He proves that football starts here [the mind] to the feet. That guy is not the fastest, but he knows exactly in every single moment what is required.

“Always he is committed and never injured. Last season defined him: when others were not there always he was there, the first to suffer.

“His mentality is important. Always he sees the positive things in life. That’s why his life will be happy with his wife and his kids, it will be so happy because he’s positive. When you have life in that spirit..

“He deserves the biggest recognition. When you write legend, you have to write it in capital letters. Because he has been. Not just today, every single game in nine years.

“No chance that these years together would have been so special without him. A special player. Wherever he will go, the team will be so lucky to have him.”

It's been emotional - Bernardo

For his part, Bernardo was typically modest, preferring to keep the focus on City’s objective for the remainder of the season. The Blues, who also started Matheus Nunes in the victory, face six more league encounters in the knowledge that should both they and Arsenal win their remaining matches, the title will be decided on goal difference.

“Yeah very big [win],” said Bernardo after the final whistle.

“It puts us in a position that if we win the game in hand we’re on the same points.

“If you look two weeks ago this didn’t look very likely. A tough game, a good game and we’re happy that we can be on the same points.

“It’s a long season. A lot of small details didn’t go our way earlier this season. Unlucky plays that we had, we missed a lot of chances and today things went our way. I’m really happy.

“I made the decision [to leave] a long time ago so all season it’s been emotional for me because I knew my decision.

“I just want to finish on a good end with trophies and I’m doing my best for this club until the end.”