Bernardo Silva: “Man City Played Like an U15 Team Against Manchester United”

Bernardo Silva has openly criticized Manchester City’s performance following their 1-2 defeat to Manchester United on December 15, admitting that the team played with “immaturity” and likening their late-game decision-making to that of a young U15 side.

Silva’s comments come after a dramatic Manchester derby at the Etihad, where City led 1-0 until the 88th minute but ultimately succumbed to defensive mistakes and poor decision-making.

“We deserved to lose with what happened,” Silva said. “At this level, one or two games can be unfortunate, but this isn’t about luck. We made poor decisions in the final minutes, and that cost us.”

The turning point came in the 87th minute. Matheus Nunes passed back poorly and fouled Amad Diallo in the penalty area.

Bruno Fernandes stepped up to convert the resulting penalty, leveling the game at 1-1.

Just two minutes later, Diallo broke through Manchester City’s defense, bypassed Ederson, and slotted the ball into the net to hand Manchester United the win.

Defensive Woes and Mental Lapses

Silva pinpointed defensive lapses as the cause of their downfall while calling for Manchester City to reassess their mentality.

“We need to do better, both individually and as a group. This isn’t the standard of Manchester City. We controlled much of the game, but bad decisions cost us.”

The team’s numbers highlight their decline—conceding 25 goals in their last 11 matches across all competitions.

They’ve now allowed 23 goals alone since early November, the worst record among Europe’s top five leagues.

Phil Foden, another key figure in City’s success over the last few seasons, also voiced his disappointment. He described the result as “unacceptable” and blamed the team’s mental state for the failure:

“I don’t know what happened. We had control but let them back into the game. Conceding two goals in such quick succession is unacceptable.”

Foden has yet to find the back of the net this season, and his form has raised concerns as the team struggles to find consistency.

Manchester City’s mental and tactical challenges were laid bare during this loss. With title aspirations on the line, Pep Guardiola and his squad must quickly address their mindset and defensive stability ahead of their next matches.