Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

'We are happy he is here' - Pep Guardiola hails City match-winner Bernardo Silva

sportsmole.co.uk, 11 September 2021, 17:16
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola hailed Bernardo Silva after his winner secured a 1-0 victory at Leicester.

The forward's second-half goal gave City a deserved three points at the King Power Stadium.

The champions made it three straight Premier League wins, but it was not a classic performance, with the visitors often wasteful after hitting 10 goals in their previous two games.

Silva was linked with a move away from the Etihad in the summer, but Guardiola expects big things from him this season.

He said: "I always have done, it's an incredible situation. It's not just the quality he played or the incredible runs or work ethic he has.

"We are happy he is here and in the future we will see what happens.

"He played really well in the last two games and today again. The connection with Jack (Grealish) and Joao (Cancelo) was brilliant.

"After an international break it is not one of the best places to come to play and we played really well. We created a lot, unfortunately we didn't score more goals.

"We suffered sometimes because they defended deep and had the counter-attack. Kasper Schmeichel had the quality to put the balls in the right area. It was a difficult, we knew it because always we suffer against Leicester."

Schmeichel saved Gabriel Jesus' far-post header after six minutes following some Silva trickery on the left before Kyle Walker and Ederson thwarted Harvey Barnes.

Schmeichel turned Silva's drive wide and Grealish fired over after a neat free-kick move.

But Leicester, who have now won two and lost two of their opening four games, nearly stunned City twice early in the second half.

Barnes' header hit the top of the bar from Vardy's cross before Vardy had a goal correctly ruled out for offside after rounding Ederson.

City heeded the warning and found the winner after 62 minutes.

Ferran Torres had already gone close before Cancelo's drive was blocked by Caglar Soyuncu, the ball falling into Silva's path for the forward to grab his first goal of the season from close range.

Ederson still needed to deny Ademola Lookman a debut goal, while Fernandinho and Grealish had chances to add a late second for City.

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers said: "I feel most disappointed for the players because I thought they deserved more from the game from the opportunities they had. We had to defend but showed that resilience and mentality and we had our moments.

"In the moments we played through their pressure we looked a good side. We nearly got in with Barnes in the first half, in the second half we reinforced some tactical ideas to help us cope.

"We had good opportunities and then they get a little bit of luck with the ball falling to them.

"What is so important against Manchester City after their last few results is you stay in the game. We were right in there against a world-class team and unfortunately didn't take something from it.

"I'm proud of how the team kept fighting and how competitive they were."

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly told Mykhaylo Mudryk that he is still in their first-team plans ahead of the January transfer window. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has reportedly not yet made a full recovery from the knock he suffered prior to the international break. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Legendary striker Robert Lewandowski has revealed he was close to joining Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in 2012. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Xabi Alonso will hope that his Bayer Leverkusen side can return to winning ways when they welcome strugglers Heidenheim to BayArena in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Wayne Rooney gives Romeo Montague a run for his money with wife Coleen revealing he writes her love poetry. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Six places separate Wolfsburg and Union Berlin in the Bundesliga table ahead of Saturday's gameweek 11 match at the Volkswagen Arena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Borussia Dortmund have already fallen behind in the title race and will at least aim to stay within touching distance of the Champions League qualifications spots when they welcome Freiburg to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A crunch clash at the bottom sees Heracles and RKC Waalwijk go head to head at the Asito Stadium on Saturday evening in gameweek 13 of the Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttgart sit a disappointing 11th in the Bundesliga table before welcoming cellar-dwelling VfL Bochum in Saturday's gameweek 11 action at the MHPArena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford boss Thomas Frank has confirmed that Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will both be available for Saturday's Premier League away meeting with Everton. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica and Estrela Amadora return to action on Saturday when they go head to head at the Estadio da Luz in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal. 21 November 2024 talksport.com West Ham have sounded out former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic as a potential replacement for Julen Lopetegui, talkSPORT understands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to move back into the top six of the League One table, Huddersfield Town will welcome Charlton Athletic to the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com talkSPORT's Ally McCoist has opened up about living with Dupuytren's contracture, an incurable hereditary condition that affects the hands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Luton Town will welcome Hull City to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a crucial game at the bottom end of the Championship table. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Martin Odegaard is everything for Arsenal - he's at the heartbeat of everything positive they do. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to go top of the Championship table with a fifth straight victory, Sheffield United will travel to take on Coventry City on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk RB Leipzig will aim to prevent the five-point gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich from extending by claiming all three points at Hoffenheim's PreZero Arena on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt will hope to maintain their five-point advantage over Werder Bremen after hosting them on Saturday at Deutsche Bank Park in their 11th Bundesliga outing of the season. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Newcastle defender Lewis Hall says his lack of game time in the first-team left him 'in a dark place' last season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams who could really do with a victory kick off round 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season as Go Ahead Eagles welcome Almere City to De Adelaarshorst on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promotion-chasing Barnsley are favourites heading into Saturday's gameweek 17 League One match at Oakwell. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord and Heerenveen will both be looking to pick up where they left off right before the international break in Saturday's meeting at De Kuip in matchday 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City officially announce that manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Girona will be bidding to make it three straight wins in La Liga for the first time this season when they welcome Espanyol to Estadi Montilivi on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk An in-form Las Palmas will be aiming to make it five wins from their last six matches in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign at home to Mallorca on Saturday night. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Following four straight defeats leading into the international break, Aston Villa will return to action on Saturday, when Crystal Palace pay a visit to Villa Park. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly set a £100m asking price for Enzo Fernandez amid interest from Real Madrid. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Saudi Pro League action will return to the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium this weekend when Al Khaleej play host to the defending champions Al-Hilal on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Atletico Madrid will be aiming to make it five straight wins in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign against Alaves at Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday afternoon.