Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva sees no chance for Manchester City in the title race due to their ongoing struggles.
Manchester City’s dominance in the Premier League seems to be crumbling this season, something Pep Guardiola had already acknowledged. Now, star midfielder Silva has echoed his coach’s sentiments, accepting the harsh reality of their fading title hopes.
Under Guardiola, City became a powerhouse in club football, securing their fourth consecutive league title last season and completing the treble in 2022-23. However, this season has been nothing short of a nightmare, with the team struggling across all competitions.
City has won just two of their last 10 league matches and sits sixth in the table with 31 points from 19 games, 14 points behind league leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.
A significant factor in their struggles has been injuries. This season’s Ballon d’Or winner, midfielder Rodri, is out for the entire campaign, and several other key players have been sidelined for extended periods. Even stars like Erling Haaland and Phil Foden are struggling with form, leaving City’s campaign in disarray.
Speaking to Sky Sports on Thursday, Silva candidly accepted the grim situation.
“It’s time to accept reality. I’m not looking at Liverpool or anyone else. I’m in sixth place in the league; from this position, I can’t afford to focus on Liverpool or Arsenal.”
Despite the disappointment, Silva tried to offer a glimmer of hope, only to quickly ground himself in reality.
“I’m just focusing on the next game, trying to win and get three points. I wouldn’t say it’s impossible (to win the title) because, in football, nothing is impossible. But right now, Manchester City is completely out of the title race—there’s no question about that.”
“People say you can’t win the title in January, but you can lose it. The reality of this season is that we’ve already lost it.”
City’s next league match is at home against West Ham United on Saturday, where they’ll hope to find a way back to winning ways.