Bernardo Silva hails Manchester City teammates for defeating ‘fantastic’ Arsenal in Carabao Cup final | OneFootball

Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva has expressed his pride at his side’s performance in their 2-0 Carabao Cup final victory over Arsenal on Sunday.

Nico O’Reilly brought home the first piece of silverware in two seasons for his boyhood club with a four minute brace of headers in the second-half of a measured Manchester City display that got the better of the Premier League leaders.

Alongside Rodri, the Portugal international was a composed and influential presence at the heart of City’s midfield throughout, providing the kind of calm, experienced leadership that Pep Guardiola‘s side needed against a well-organised and high-quality Arsenal outfit – particularly in a difficult opening period that tested the Blues’ defensive resolve.

Speaking after the final whistle, Silva was aware of what the victory means for a Manchester City squad that has endured a challenging and at times frustrating campaign.

Silva full of pride after beating ‘fantastic’ Arsenal

The City skipper was quick to acknowledge the quality of the opposition, while making clear that the result was fully deserved on the balance of the afternoon’s play.

“I’m really happy and proud of the boys,” Silva said. “To beat this team is not easy. They’re a fantastic side. I try to help the team as much as possible.

“I know exactly the way the manager wants to play. I know the standards this club demands. I always try my best.”

It was a characteristically selfless assessment from a player who has been one of City’s most dependable performers throughout a turbulent season — a captain who leads by example rather than by volume, and whose understanding of Guardiola’s system remains as sharp as ever.

Midfield brief was to provide stability

Silva also shed light on the specific tactical role he and Rodri were asked to fulfil on the day, revealing that the priority was to offer a solid defensive foundation from which City’s attacking players could operate.

“I think with the players we had today on the pitch, my job and Rodri’s was to give as much stability as we can to the team,” the 31-year-old added.

“So, we wanted to stay stable, stay compact, not make stupid mistakes and let them bring the game to us.”

It proved to be a shrewd game plan. Rather than chasing the match in the opening stages when Arsenal held the initiative, City absorbed the early pressure and denied their opponents the space and tempo they thrive upon – a disciplined approach that frustrated the Premier League leaders and ultimately shifted the momentum of the final.

Trafford heroics and second-half dominance

Silva was forthright in his acknowledgement that the opening quarter of an hour was uncomfortable for City, singling out goalkeeper James Trafford for special praise after a crucial early save kept the scoreline level.

“The first 15 minutes felt difficult, they were able to create a big chance where James Trafford was amazing for us,” he said.

“I think especially in the second-half, we tried to go for them a bit more. We felt they lost a bit of energy and when we felt that we had to go for it even more.”

That willingness to recognise the right moment to press forward and to act upon it decisively was a hallmark of City’s second-half display, which Guardiola himself described as “unbelievable” in his own post-match assessment.

Silva singles out O’Reilly and City’s attacking firepower

The City captain was also full of admiration for match-winner Nico O’Reilly, whose brace sealed the trophy and capped a Wembley performance that has firmly announced the 21-year-old to the wider football world.

“Nico O’Reilly is really good at arriving in the box in those moments,” Silva said. “We were lucky enough to score the first one. And then when we were on top, we’re always a team that can find spaces well. So it was really good for us.”

Silva also paid tribute to the contribution of Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo out wide, underscoring the attacking threat City were able to call upon once the game’s momentum shifted decisively in their favour.

“That’s what we tried to do with Jeremy and Semenyo on both wings, we have the firepower to go for them, Nico O’Reilly arriving too,” he added. “Today, I think we were really good.”

Captain’s final verdict: a very good performance

Summing up, Silva offered an honest and lucid account of how finals are won and lost – and how City executed their plan to near perfection once they had weathered the early storm.

“In a final you know both teams will have momentum,” he said. “Arsenal was – in the first 15 minutes – and in those moments you try to fight together and when you feel the momentum you have to make it as large as possible and really go for them. Overall it was a very good performance.”

For a City side that has had precious little to celebrate in recent months, Sunday’s Wembley triumph – and the manner in which it was achieved – will provide a significant lift heading into the business end of a season that still holds genuine promise on two further fronts.