Bernardo stars again as Man City move top of Premier League with Watford win
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ByEurosport
Updated 04/12/2021 at 22:41 GMT
Vicarage Road Stadium, Premier League - Watford 1 (Cucho 75') Manchester City 3 (Sterling 4, Silva 31, 64)
Bernardo Silva of Manchester City celebrates after scoring their side's second goal during the Premier League match between Watford and Manchester City at Vicarage Road on December 04, 2021 in Watford, England
Image credit: Getty Images
Bernardo Silva continued his scintillating form as Manchester City surged to the top of the Premier League table with a comfortable 3-1 victory at struggling Watford.
Raheem Sterling opened the scoring with a simple header on four minutes as the visitors threatened to run riot against the home side’s porous defence.
Jack Grealish had several chances to double the advantage before the in-form Bernardo fizzed in a rebound from a narrow angle just past the half hour.
City continued to pose all of the questions following the restart and Bernardo grabbed his seventh goal of the season with a wonderful curler that flew into the top corner on 63 minutes.
For long spells it looked like a case of how many for the visitors but Watford did give the home support some cheer when substitute Cucho Hernandez acrobatically volleyed in a rebound 16 minutes from time.
The result means City take advantage of former leaders Chelsea’s defeat at West Ham earlier in the day to move a point clear of second-placed Liverpool at the summit. Watford remain three points above the drop zone in 17th spot.
Pep Guardiola’s men will now turn their focus to Tuesday’s Champions League clash at RB Leipzig having already guaranteed top spot in Group A before hosting Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday. Watford travel to Brentford on Friday evening.
TALKING POINT
The champions are hitting the right notes in tight three-way title tussle
Not so long ago, Guardiola had been lamenting an ‘injury emergency’ given the number of star names he had side-lined. His team selection tonight – and the mouthwatering calibre of his bench – showed that is now over and, in all honesty, it hardly derailed them in any way as City look in ominous shape heading into the key winter period of the season.
With Bernardo Silva literally oozing with quality (more on that in a moment) the Citizens have won seven matches in a row in all competitions and this success means they have equalled Tottenham's top-flight record of 17 away victories in a single calendar year which was set way back in 1960.
The momentum could continue to build too with Premier League matches at home to Wolves and Leeds following their trip to Leipzig on Tuesday. Newcastle away, Leicester at home and a trip to Brentford will conclude 2021 and with that fixture list it’s looking very good for the champions as they battle with Chelsea and Liverpool at the summit.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City). The best player in the Premier League? It was a bold claim from Guardiola given the free-scoring antics of the likes of Mo Salah of late, but there’s no doubt the Portuguese maestro is in the form of his City career. He took his two goals with aplomb and was involved in some wonderful attacking moments in a match where the away side were given too much room to showcase their brilliance.
PLAYER RATINGS
WATFORD: Bachmann 7, Rose 5, Ekong 6, Cathcart 6, Femenia 6, Louza 5, Sissoko 6, Cleverley 5, Joao Pedro 6, Dennis 7, King 6. Subs: Cucho 7, Kucka 6, Ngakia 6.
MAN CITY: Ederson 7, Walker 7, Dias 7, Laporte 7, Cancelo 7, Gundogan 7, Rodri 7, Bernardo Silva 8, Foden 8, Grealish 7, Sterling 8. Subs: De Bruyne 6, Mahrez 6, Jesus 6.
KEY MOMENTS
4’ - GOAL! – Watford 0-1 Man City. Sterling is left in acres of space to stroll in at the far post and coolly head home Foden's delicious cross from the left flank.
31’ - GOAL! – Watford 0-2 Man City. Gundogan sees a low shot superbly kept out by Bachmann but Bernardo Silva follows up and drills home from a narrow angle.
60’ – MAN CITY CHANCE! Foden jinks in from the left and sees a low drive tipped on to the post by Bachmann. Laporte meets the resulting corner but hooks a volley just over the bar.
64’ - GOAL! – Watford 0-3 Man City. It's than man Bernardo Silva once again. He takes a pass on the right, cuts inside his man and curls a sumptuous effort right into the top corner.
75’ - GOAL! – Watford 1-3 Man City. Cucho Hernández volleys home from a narrow angle on the stretch after his low drive from the right side of the area flashed back off the far post.
KEY STATS
- Against no side has Raheem Sterling scored more goals in his professional club career than he has against Watford (11, level with Bournemouth).
- Bernardo Silva has scored six goals in his last eight Premier League appearances for Manchester City - as many as in his previous 61 games in the competition.
- With seven goals in just 14 games this season, Bernardo Silva has already equalled his best ever goalscoring return in a single Premier League campaign (7 in 36 apps in 2018-19).
- Kyle Walker (102 with Spurs, 100 with Man City) has become just the third player to be on the winning side in 100+ Premier League games with two different clubs, after Phil Neville (Manchester United and Everton) and Ashley Cole (Arsenal and Chelsea).
- Only Manchester United and Liverpool (five each) have seen more goals scored by substitutes in the Premier League this season than Watford (four).
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