Silva’s home comfort
BERNARDO SILVA believes Manchester City fans would rather win the Premier League than the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola’s team have their title defence back in their own hands after Liverpool’s goalless draw in the Merseyside derby left City a point clear.
City have won five titles but they have never triumphed in Europe’s top club competition. The club and the players have repeatedly stated their ambition is to win the Champions League but Silva, who is set to sign a new six-year contract, said: “I think from the fans there is greater pressure to win the Premier League.
“The club, a little bit like Paris St-Germain, have never won the Champions League. “There is this desire amongst everyone to do something about that because it is the best competition in Europe.” Captain Vincent Kompany insists City do not need to repeat last season’s record-breaking title success to prove their greatness.
No side has successfully defended the Premier League title since Manchester United did it a decade ago.
But Kompany says nothing can detract from their past achievements and claims Liverpool will be worthy champions if they finish above them.
He said: “Reaching 100 points – good luck to anyone who wants to do it over again. That stands in isolation as an incredible achievement.
“We’re playing as well as we can, nothing is going to take away from that.
“If Liverpool end up being even better than us, then that’s credit to Liverpool.
“It can’t be something that we’ve done wrong in this case, not with the amount of points we’ve got so far and the way we’ve played and approached every game.
“I think we’re doing as good as a team can do but, if you want to talk about having back-to-back seasons, I’m sure not a lot of teams had to face the sort of opposition we have now with Liverpool.
“Liverpool are having the best season I’ve ever known them to have so we just need to raise our level every time.”
City have the luxury of a free week with no game until they entertain Watford on Saturday.
“We’ve got a couple days off and it’s just really about switching off mentally,” said Kompany.
“We’ve been playing every three days now for as long as I can remember.
“It’s probably going to do us the world of good. We had to get over the Bournemouth game, then we knew we could recover personnel and energy.” SNOOKER
Players Championship
1st rd:
TODAY’S DIARY
FOOTBALL UEFA Champions League 1st KO rd, 2nd leg Borussia Dortmund (0) v Tottenham (3) (8pm). Real Madrid (2) v Ajax (1) (8pm) ........................ Sky Bet Championship Derby v Wigan ..................................................... Sky Bet League One Accrington v Blackpool ..................................... Sky Bet League Two Cheltenham v Bury ............................................. Checkatrade Trophy semi-final
Bristol Rovers v Sunderland ............................. Vanarama National League Barrow v Leyton Orient ...................................... Braintree v Chesterfield ..................................... Halifax v Barnet .................................................. Harrogate v Bromley .......................................... Maidenhead v Dag & Red ................................... Salford v Sutton .................................................. Vanarama North: Vanarama South: –
Evo-Stik Northern Premier: Evo-Stik Southern Premier Central: