Chris Sutton is completely wrong with ‘massive’ Bernardo Silva claim at Man City
Pep Guardiola ultimately faced disappointment and frustration as Man City threw away victory at the death against Monaco.
Nico Gonzalez gave away a penalty just shy of the 90th minute, which was punished by Eric Dier after Jordan Teze scored the home side’s equaliser on Wednesday, 1 October.
That goal was sandwiched by two record-breaking goals from Erling Haaland, as he notched his 51st and 52nd Champions League goals in just 50 appearances at the Stade Louis II.
The last-gasp draw leaves the Citizens eighth in the Champions League table after two matches, having previously beaten Napoli in a game where Kevin De Bruyne was dragged off after just 26 minutes.
One player, especially, was pointed out for his supposed weaknesses.
Chris Sutton takes aim at Bernardo Silva during Man City draw
Bernardo Silva played 90 minutes during the 2-2 draw, wearing the captain’s armband with pride, and picking up a yellow card after the decision to award Monaco a penalty.
It was not the Portugal international’s finest display at all, but he continued to lead right until the final whistle, only to be heavily criticised by Chris Sutton live on air.
Speaking on BBC’s Football Daily, Sutton said: “For the life of me, I don’t know why Pep took Jeremy Doku off and put Bernardo Silva on. I am not saying he is a liability out there, but he doesn’t have the ability to go past a full-back. That’s a massive problem.”
Also mentioning John Stones, he continued: “They are not dynamic anymore; they aren’t at the top of their game,” and Guardiola would likely have a strong response to these comments if he heard them.
Why Sutton is completely wrong about Man City’s captain
While bringing Doku off after the hour mark was the wrong move, substituting Bernardo would not have been the right choice either, and his stats in the Premier League this season prove exactly that.
Despite having just one assist to his name in the league, only Doku has created more chances than him, while also being on par with the winger and Haaland for the most big chances created [FotMob].
Bernardo ranks in the 92nd percentile for passing accuracy, the 87th percentile for crossing accuracy, and also the 80th percentile for recoveries, showcasing his ability at both ends of the pitch.
According to FBref, he also ranks in the 80th percentile for shot-creating actions and the 97th percentile for touches in the attacking penalty area. It is crystal clear just how crucial he can be for the team.
To suggest that he is not at the top of his game, likely due to him being 31 years of age, is just absolutely far from the truth. Bernardo will only prove him wrong when he takes to the pitch next time.