Bernardo Silva has offered a blunt assessment their performance in the Manchester City 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park. He described the defending and pressing as “really bad” after a lacklustre showing saw the Sky Blues fall short.
Pep Guardiola’s men were undone by a 19th-minute strike from Matty Cash, whose close-range finish proved decisive in a match where City failed to find their usual rhythm.
While Erling Haaland came close on two occasions, testing Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, the visitors looked second best for large parts of the evening and never truly threatened to overturn the deficit.
“Two seconds late to every duel” – Silva laments City’s defensive frailties
Speaking after the match, Silva did not hold back in his assessment of City’s shortcomings, admitting that while the team performed reasonably well in possession, their pressing and defensive structure fell short of their usual high standards.
“I would say we played quite well with the ball. Our offensive concepts were quite good. Even if we didn’t score we had chances,” said Silva.
“We made them defend deep and they struggled in some moments. On the other side of the game we were really bad defensively. Our pressing was really bad, we arrived two seconds late to every duel.”
The Portuguese international’s frustration was clear as he reflected on how Villa were able to exploit the gaps left behind by City’s sluggish press.
The Sky Blues, usually so cohesive in transition, appeared disjointed and reactive, allowing Unai Emery’s side to grow in confidence as the game wore on.
Silva noted that City’s inability to control the tempo without the ball made the game more open and unpredictable – a scenario that typically doesn’t suit Guardiola’s methodical style.
“That was the feeling even though our offensive concepts were quite good, but if the pressing is not good you allow the game to be a transitional game. When our pressing is not good we do not play well,” he continued.
City’s failure to win second balls and control the midfield meant that Villa often found space to counter, particularly through the energetic runs of John McGinn and the creativity of other players.
With Manchester City struggling to track runners, Villa’s early goal set the tone for the rest of the match, leaving Guardiola visibly frustrated on the touchline.
Silva acknowledged that Villa’s quality made life difficult for the visitors, praising the hosts as a “Champions League team” while stressing that City’s own defensive principles had completely fallen apart.
“Obviously they are a very good team, this is a Champions League team, a team with a lot of quality players. I do believe our defensive concepts were really bad today,” Silva admitted.
City’s high line and aggressive midfield pressing, key pillars of their domestic and European dominance, were conspicuously absent as Villa outworked and outmanoeuvred them across the pitch.
Frustration over key decision but no excuses
The Manchester City 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa also generated some controversies. At a point, City players were left aggrieved by the referee’s decision to award Aston Villa the corner that led to the winning goal.
The Cityzens felt Matheus Nunes had been fouled by Lucas Digne in the build-up before the ball went out of play, but the officials waved play on.
While the resulting corner was converted by Cash after a scramble in the box, Silva stopped short of blaming the decision for City’s defeat, instead focusing on the team’s overall performance.
“It’s a minor decision, it’s not like a penalty or a red card that changed the game. The reality is it should’ve been a foul,” Silva said.
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His remarks reflected City’s broader acceptance that they were second best on the night. Despite dominating possession and having moments of territorial control, Guardiola’s men rarely looked capable of breaking down a disciplined Villa defence.
The defeat raised questions about City’s consistency away from home and their defensive sharpness in recent weeks.
With a demanding fixture list ahead, including crucial Champions League and Premier League clashes, Pep Guardiola will be eager to see a reaction from his players after what Silva described as one of their poorest collective defensive showings this season.
