Manchester City secured a huge win over Aston Villa on Tuesday night.
The contest at the Etihad Stadium was arguably the biggest of the season for Pep Guardiola’s men as they knew a win over a direct rival would go a long way in helping them qualify for the Champions League next season.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 33 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 75 | 31 | 44 | 79 |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal | 33 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 61 | 27 | 34 | 66 |
| 3 |  Man CityManchester City | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 66 | 43 | 23 | 61 |
| 4 |  Nottm ForestNottingham Forest | 33 | 18 | 6 | 9 | 53 | 39 | 14 | 60 |
Omar Marmoush would play a key role in Bernardo Silva opening the scoring for City on the night, before Marcus Rashford equalised for Villa from the penalty spot.
Mark Clattenburg believes the referee got Ruben Dias’s foul on Jacob Ramsey correct, although it would not matter in the end, as Matheus Nunes would bag a 94th-minute winner to bring Man City up to third in the table.
Following the contest, Guardiola was keen to praise a £43m player who had a big impact on the Aston Villa win, with the City boss making public how much the star has struggled throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
- READ MORE: Why Ilkay Gundogan was actually ‘disappointed’ on the day he saved Man City vs Aston Villa in 2022
Bernardo Silva has been ’empty’ this season at Man City
It has been well documented how much Man City have struggled this season and one player who has underperformed more than most is Silva.
The Portuguese star has been crucial to the success Guardiola has experienced in Manchester, but it seems time has caught up with the 30-year-old, with Man City fans believing Silva’s time is up at the Etihad.
However, for Guardiola, the Spanish coach has not forgotten the midfielder’s loyalty to the cause and how much he has sacrificed for City this season.
“I don’t forget Bernardo! What he has done for us this season, especially this season! I don’t forget,” Guardiola told the press after Man City’s win over Aston Villa. “I don’t forget November, December, January, February, March – where we didn’t win a single game.
“He was there every single time! Running 30km every way, playing different positions. There was a moment when he was empty! Mentally, and after that, not winning games was tiring. He was empty.
“But Bernardo in the important games has an incredibly huge personality, he’s a player for me [that is] another level for many reasons.”
Latest on Bernardo Silva’s future at Man City
This season looks like it could be Silva’s last at Man City after eight successful years with the Manchester club, in which the 30-year-old won every trophy possible.
It has become clear that the midfielder is not able to do what he used to at City consistently, hence why there have been links away.
Silva wants to stay at Man City ahead of next season, however, Benfica are showing interest in the Portuguese star, while Saudi Arabian clubs will likely look to sign the midfielder this summer having made moves in the past.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Silva at City as it is clear that Guardiola still has faith in the player, but a revamp is needed at the Etihad, and that is coming this summer.
