09 October 2023 , 21:30
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Bernardo Silva insists Manchester City cannot use the absence of Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne as an excuse.
Reigning champions City suffered their first back-to-back Premier League defeats since December 2018 with Rodri missing through suspension and De Bruyne out injured. But City midfielder Silva says they will not change their style and have overcome setbacks in the past and will do so again this season after their defeat at title rivals Arsenal.
Silva said: “I’m not going to lie and say that they aren’t important players, of course they are. Over the last few years Kevin and Rodri have been two of the most important players on the team.
“It’s also true that over the last seven years, this team has always been able to react to injuries to important players. So, we have to improve, those of us who are playing, and it doesn’t matter if that’s Kevin, Rodri, Ruben Dias, whoever, we have to be ready to play the best game possible and win matches. So, we have to look at where we can improve and do so.”
Silva admits that the Arsenal defeat was full of “frustration and disappointment” but it will not change the way they play or knock their confidence. He added: “It’s definitely believing in what we do and we’re going to keep doing it.
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"Last season, they [Arsenal] pressed us in the same way and we beat them both times in the league. It won’t change anything – when we play Liverpool who are good pressers, when we play Man United at Old Trafford or whatever.
“It’s our way of playing and we’re not going to try and be something what we are not. We’re going to keep being loyal to our principles and ideas – knowing that in some moments if the risk is too high you sometimes have to play long and go for second balls.
“We have a striker who can fight for those balls and go in behind and put the defenders in trouble. Tough game for us but onto the next one.”
City defender Josko Gvardiol added: “Of course, we cannot be happy with the result. It’s a hard one – especially two losses in a row. We have to think about it and start being more focused and get on the right path. We know our qualities.
“We could have done better but it is what it is – it’s behind us. We have to be more dangerous in the last third. We will analyse it when we come back from the international break and focus on the next game.”