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City reaction: 'They're a much better team than last year'
Bernardo Silva
It was tough. We played against a top, top team: very well organised, very competitive, high rhythm. It could have gone either way to be honest. We started better, we had more possession and control but they were very good as well. They were always dangerous on set-pieces and counters.
It’s tough to play against – when they pressed high they went man to man, and when they were low their wingers played as full-backs in a line of six. It’s never easy to play against teams who defend this well.
At te start of the game I felt they tried to be aggressive and press. When we could get three or four passes together, that’s when their wingers would go back in a line of six. Then they would be patient and not jump in. Two completely different games – they were very well organised and it wasn’t easy to create chances.
Last April they were doing man to man all over the pitch for the whole game. When you do that it’s a bit of a 50/50. Today it wasn’t quite the same. They’re a different team because they’re a young side who now have an extra year of experience. Today they were much better.
We’re not favourites [to win the league] any more. A lot can happen in seven games – is it seven or eight? I think seven. [It’s nine] Oh, nine! That’s better for us. We’re back in it! We need Liverpool or Arsenal to drop points and we need to do our job and win our games.
