SILVA ON THE UP
Bernardo has City homing in on a quarter-final place
THE winning run continues and the bad news for everyone is that far from showing signs of flagging City are getting better.
Goals from Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus saw Pep Guardiola’s side extend their streak to 19.
It was a performance of total control which also continued a defensive record flawless since matchday one in this competition.
And it is one which will have another Bundesliga side Bayern Munich feeling their Champions League crown rests uneasily.
City will carry a commanding advantage and two away goals into the second leg of this last-16 clash and they are long odds-on to reach a fourth consecutive quarter-final. Where they have faltered in the past chasing games after conceding this is fast turning into a campaign built on defensive resilience instead.
Even the loss of key personnel like Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero has merely emphasised the depth of talent available to Guardiola, right.
Phil Foden, Gabriel Jesus, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte and Joao Cancelo were not bad reserves to call on and it was the last named whose return led to the opener.
Cancelo has arguably been City’s most improved player and much of it is down to his new deployment as a nominal full-back given full licence to roam. On the few occasions City find their backs to the wall his stamina and speed allow him to fill in at the back yet his main role is to create in the space in front of Rodri. City had served notice of their superiority early, Raheem Sterling’s pace carving out a couple of chances and a shout for a penalty against Ramy Bensebaini rightly turned down in the 27th minute. But two minutes later they were ahead and it was Cancelo’s magnificent cross to the far post from the left side which was an assist worthy of De Bruyne. Such was the quality of the delivery,
whipped with a hint of draw over the head of last defender Nico Elvedi, that Bernardo had little to do but connect but from six yards. From the moment his accurate header was sent back across Yann Sommer and in, City were in complete control. Their opponents were unable to get the ball, mesmerised by the dazzling patterns tracing around them and suffocated by City’s high press whenever they did. City should have doubled their lead in the 53rd minute when a sloppy pass back from Bensebaini gifted a golden chance to Jesus After racing clear on goal the striker waited too long to find the perfect angle after turning back on to his left foot, allowing Elvedi to get back and block. But Jesus atoned and settled all nerves, reacting smartly in the 65th minute after Cancelo again crossed from the left to Bernardo, whose nod back across goal was turned in.