Joleon Lescott has said that Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva always steps up in big games.
The Portuguese international delivered an eye-catching performance in last weekend’s Premier League match against Manchester United, where he provided an assist for Erling Haaland’s second goal of the game.
This has since led to one pundit and former City player having his say about the 29-year-old and the way in which he manages to perform at a high standard in big games.
Lescott wowed by Silva’s ability to perform in big games
Speaking in a recent live stream on the club’s YouTube channel ahead of City’s Premier League match against Bournemouth, Lescott had this to say about Silva and his display against United last weekend.
He said: “I’d probably say he’s the one performer that, in the big games, he plays well, every time. There are not many games against the bigger clubs or the big occasions that he doesn’t step up. And he plays it in a number of positions, I think he’s equally effective out wide, in midfield, he can hold, we’ve seen him do that numerous times.
“He’s so important to the energy and the tempo, in and out of possession. I remember last week and just watching him closing people down at 2-0, 3-0. There’s no need to do it, he just wants to and he encourages his teammates to support him. He’s so important to what Pep wants in and out of possession.”
In addition to providing the assist for City’s second goal against United last weekend, the midfielder ended up creating three big chances in the match and successfully completing the two dribbles he attempted.
This ultimately earned Silva an overall match rating of 8.4/10 from SofaScore, making him the highest-rated player on the day, making it easy to see why Lescott has spoken so highly of him and his efforts at Old Trafford.
Another example of Silva stepping up for City in big games came during last season’s Champions League semi-final second-leg clash against Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium, where the midfielder scored two of the four goals City scored on the night to secure their place in the final, which they ultimately won by beating Inter Milan.
With all of that in mind, it’s clear that the midfielder is a key player for City and certainly someone who can step up when it matters and deliver on the big occasions, making him a key factor in why the club have been so successful in recent years.
