Title repeat is so tough says Silva
BERNARDO SILVA says Manchester City are taking nothing for granted despite keeping their noses in front of the rest of the Premier League 15 games into the season.
The 2-1 win at Watford on Tuesday was hard fought in the end but re-established a five-point gap to Liverpool – although the Reds cut it back to two with victory at Burnley last night.
City are actually slightly behind last year’s record-breaking season, when by this stage they were already eight points clear of their closest rivals Manchester United.
But Silva says City know they have a tougher ride this term.
“What we did last season was amazing to break all the records,” he said. “But this is another season and we have to try to win the Premier League again against different opponents, stronger opponents – so it will be a tough season.
“Last season at this stage we had two more points. This season we have drawn twice.
“We’re doing pretty well and we just want to keep doing the same thing and forget about last season.”
That said, in 10 frantic final minutes at Vicarage Road, City showed they are up for the battle After cruising at 2-0, Abdoulaye Doucoure’s late goal for Watford made it a nervy finish. Silva, who joined City from Ligue 1 side Monaco, said: “In France there are a lot of physical teams but in England a lot more. In the last minutes there are long balls, with very tall and strong guys up front. The last few minutes were pretty tough.”
Tougher tests are to come, starting with a trip to Chelsea on Saturday evening.
“Chelsea try to play and control the game like us,” said Silva. “We know it will be a very tough game.”
Beyond that lies the congested festive period. It is churlish to pick holes, but the five points City dropped over the new year period last season was more than a third of those they dropped in the entire campaign.
“December and January are very difficult months with a lot a difficult games,” said Silva. “It’s a little bit different because both of the countries where I played before – Portugal and France – have a Christmas break. Here it won’t stop so it’s a bit complicated, but it’s good to play every three days.
“We complain a bit but it’s good because we love this game and love to play and it’s a tradition in England so we have to respect it.
“When you are leading the league and winning almost every game, teams try to see your weaknesses and exploit them.
“Our job is to try to make the least mistakes we can, keep winning and try to make this gap a bit bigger in the months of December and January.”
RESPECT: Silva savours the busy festive period
Chelsea looked good at 1-0 up and had a few good chances spurned, but Wolves stunned them with a quick one-two.
Maurizio Sarri’s men looked shattered as Raul Jimenez and Diego Jota floored them with two stunning goals.
Chelsea are not used to this – they had only lost one league game until this trip-up.
Leading by an 18th-minute Conor Coady own-goal and with Eden Hazard pulling the strings, they appeared to be in control. But Wolves had other ideas and got themselves level in the 59th minute when Jimenez seized on a ball from Morgan Gibbs-White, held off Andreas Christnesen and slammed the ball in.
Minutes later Nuno Espirito Santo’s men caught the Blues on the break when Matt Doherty carved them open down the right and whipped in a low cross that Jota slotted in from close range.
Up to that point it looked like Hazard, plus a perplexing display by referee Jon Moss, might prove too big a barrier.
Loftus-Cheek set Sarri’s men on their way after being handed his first start in more than two years. The Chelsea boss insists that the England midfielder is going nowhere despite his frustrations.
And Loftus-Cheek wasted no time in ramming home his talented 18-year-old Morgan Gibbs-White his full league debut.
Wolves might have been brassed off by the goal that had put them behind but, overall, could not have too many complaints that Chelsea were in front.
Alvaro Morata had come close with a 25-yarder and only a one-handed flying tip-over by Patricio denied Willian from a free kick.
But Gibbs-White seemed determined to seize his big chance and looked set to score before Cesc Fabregas flew underneath him with a brilliant last-ditch tackle.
Wolves were making a real go of it even though they sometimes struggled with the scorching runs of Hazard.
Willian could quite easily have had a couple. First, he raced clear after Hazard had clipped one over the top but was snuffed out by a tackle from Ryan Bennett and then shot feebly over after Fabregas had sent him clear.
But the battling home side weren’t to be denied and held on for a memorable victory.
Patricio; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Saiss, Moutinho, Vinagre; Gibbs-White (Costa 72), Jota (Cavaleiro 88), Jimenez (Dendoncker 81). Saiss, Moutinho, Coady, Vinagre. Jimenez 59, Jota 63.
WOLVES (3-4-3): CHELSEA
Kepa; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, Alonso; Fabregas, Kante (Kovacic 77), Loftus-Cheek; Willian (Pedro 65), Morata (Giroud 65), Hazard. Fabregas, Giroud, Alonso, Christensen. Loftus-Cheek 18.
J Moss (W Yorkshire).
Booked: Referee: (4-3-3): Goal: Booked: Goals: