Manchester City outclassed their cross-town rivals 3-1 in the Carabao Cup semi-final to put one foot back in Wembley Stadium as they attempt to defend their title for the third consecutive season. Pep Guardiola stunned most with his choice to switch to a strikerless 4-4-2 formation, with Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva operating as the two players furthest forwards. The latter of the pair was particularly sensational and condemned Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to describe the first-half performance as Manchester United’s “worst this season.”
The hosts could not live with the Sky Blues, and Silva opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a sublime curling effort after he dropped being the overlapping Kyle Walker to create space. After cutting inside onto his favoured left foot, Silva rifled a shot in off the underside of the bar past an outstretched David De Gea. Before the hour mark, Silva was at it again, spotting the delightfully curved run of Riyad Mharez to slot the Algerian through to round De Gea and tap in to double City’s advantage.
While City shone particularly brightly in the opening half an hour, Silva was a menace to the Red Devils all evening. When called upon the Portuguese international tracked back to make two clearances and block a shot, making sure the hosts did not creep back into the game as they have done in previous Manchester derbies.
But where Silva was most electric was in possession. There was never a moment he wasn’t searching for a teammate to play through, shown by playing two accurate long balls and making a team-high three key passes. While one created the Mahrez goal leading to an assist, Silva was also crucial in City’s third, playing the initial pass that started the counterattack which led to Andreas Pereira tucking the ball into his own net.
It wasn’t a completely flawless evening for Silva and Guardiola would have noticed only four players in Sky Blue gave the ball away more frequently, and that he made three unsuccessful touches. But that is the cost of the Portuguese playmaker consistently attempting to create openings for others, and occasionally he will concede possession.
Without Silva Manchester City could have been in an entirely different situation heading into the second leg. But thanks to an outstanding display the Citizens have one foot in another Wembley final under Guardiola.
