**Pep Guardiola has offered a wider update surrounding the availability of Manchester City’s club captain Bernardo Silva – who missed Wednesday’s win over Newcastle.**
City’s progression to the Carabao Cup Final was sealed in emphatic fashion at the Etihad Stadium, as Pep Guardiola’s side once again underlined their ability to control high-pressure knockout ties.
An early breakthrough in the second leg set the tone thanks to Omar Marmoush, who would score a brace on the night complimented by Tijjani Reijnders, allowing City to dictate proceedings and manage the contest with relative comfort.
The result also continued Guardiola’s willingness to rotate when required, while carefully managing the physical condition of his senior players during a demanding run of fixtures.
With domestic cup progression secured and attention now turning back to the Premier League, squad fitness has quickly become the dominant concern, with Bernardo Silva’s absence from Wednesday’s cup semi-final a notable pre-match talking point.
That focus is sharpened further by Sunday’s trip to Anfield – a fixture that regularly carries significance at the top of the division. City are entering a decisive phase of the campaign where availability may dictate tactical choices, particularly in midfield areas.
Speaking after the 5-1 aggregate win over Eddie Howe’s side during a post-match media conference, Pep Guardiola was quizzed on the fitness of Bernardo Silva ahead of Sunday afternoon’s Anfield visit.
“Yesterday \[Tuesday\] he said to me, ‘I feel quite good. I want to try’. But I don’t know,” said Guardiola.
The Catalan coach continued, “It \[the injury\] is in a position less dangerous than the hamstring, another type of muscle in the hamstring position. But we’ll see in the next days.”
On whether the Portugal international ‘could be OK’ for the visit to Merseyside, Guardiola said, “‘Could be OK’, is not the words. He’s an incredible doubt.
“He will try, I think so, knowing him, he will try. But right now, I don’t know.”
Should Bernardo Silva be ruled out, Pep Guardiola will be forced to lean further on the depth that has served Manchester City well in recent weeks, with options already tested during the Newcastle semi-final.
However, the captain’s leadership and tactical intelligence are qualities that are difficult to replicate in a fixture of Anfield’s intensity, and Guardiola has spoken extensively throughout the season on the importance of the veteran midfielder.
A late fitness call now appears inevitable, with Bernardo Silva likely to be assessed closer to kick-off and in the few training ground sessions that stand between Newcastle and the visit to Anfield.
As for Pep Guardiola’s comments on the matter, they appear to suggest caution rather than optimism, and Manchester City may ultimately prioritise the long-term availability of one of their most influential figures as the season approaches its defining stretch.