Bernardo Silva Slams Manchester City’s “Under-15s” Performance in Shocking Derby Collapse
It was a day to forget for Manchester City fans as their team suffered a gut-wrenching 2-1 defeat to bitter rivals Manchester United in Sunday’s Premier League derby. What started as a promising performance at the Etihad Stadium ended in disaster, leaving City’s star midfielder Bernardo Silva fuming and calling out his team’s late-game antics as something you’d expect from “under-15s.”
City looked poised to secure a much-needed victory, leading 1-0 late into the match. But in a stunning turn of events, United capitalized on two glaring defensive errors to snatch all three points. First, Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty in the 88th minute after Matheus Nunes gave the ball away and then fouled Amad Diallo in the box. Moments later, Diallo delivered the dagger with a stoppage-time winner, leaving City stunned and their fans in disbelief.
City’s Worst Run Since 2006
For Manchester City, this wasn’t just another loss. It marked a continuation of their worst run of form since 2006. The reigning Premier League champions have now won just one of their last 11 games across all competitions. For a team that has dominated English football in recent years, this slump is as shocking as it is concerning.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Silva didn’t hold back in his assessment of the team’s performance. “We deserved what happened,” he said bluntly. “At this level, a game or two is unlucky. We can’t say this is lucky or unlucky—10 games, it’s not about that.”
Silva’s frustration was palpable as he dissected the team’s late-game collapse. “Minute 87 in a derby, winning 1-0, and our corner ends in a penalty for them. If we make these stupid decisions with three or four minutes to go, you deserve to pay for that,” he added. “Looking at the game, I think there was only one team that could win the game, but at the end, we lost.”
“We Played Like Under-15s”
Silva’s most scathing comment came when he compared City’s decision-making in the final moments to that of a youth team. “It’s not one game, it’s a lot of games lately. We have to look at ourselves. You can say, ‘Oh, it’s a bit unlucky.’ No. It’s the decisions you make. Today, in the last minute, we played like under-15s.”
It’s a harsh but perhaps fair critique of a team that has looked uncharacteristically disjointed in recent weeks. Defensive lapses, poor decision-making, and a lack of composure have plagued City during this rough patch, and Sunday’s derby was no exception.
Key Takeaways from the Match
Here are some of the critical moments and stats from the game:
- Bruno Fernandes’ penalty: The Portuguese midfielder kept his cool to equalize in the 88th minute after a clumsy foul by Matheus Nunes.
- Amad Diallo’s winner: The young United forward capitalized on City’s defensive chaos to score the decisive goal in stoppage time.
- City’s form: Just one win in their last 11 games across all competitions, their worst run since 2006.
For Manchester United, the victory was a massive morale boost in what has been an up-and-down season. For City, however, it’s another painful reminder that something is seriously wrong. The reigning champions now face mounting pressure to turn things around before their season spirals further out of control.
What’s Next for City?
With their title defense in jeopardy and confidence at an all-time low, Manchester City must regroup quickly. Manager Pep Guardiola will undoubtedly face questions about his team’s tactics and mentality, while players like Silva will need to step up as leaders in the dressing room.
As Silva pointed out, this isn’t about luck anymore. It’s about decisions, discipline, and desire. If City can’t find a way to fix their issues soon, their hopes of retaining the Premier League crown—and perhaps even qualifying for the Champions League—could be in serious jeopardy.
For now, though, the focus will be on learning from Sunday’s mistakes and ensuring that such a collapse doesn’t happen again. Because as Silva so aptly put it, “At this level, you deserve to pay for that.”
Originally Written by: Mark Ogden
