Bernardo Silva is bringing his nine-year Manchester City career to a close this weekend, as he moves on as a free agent at the end of the season.
The versatile midfielder was signed from AS Monaco back in 2017 for a £43 million fee, and he has proved worth that and so much more to the team in the years since.
Silva has made over 450 appearances for Man City, scoring 76 goals and assisting 77, picking up six Premier League titles, five EFL Cups, three FA Cups, three Community Shields, one Club World Cup, and one Champions League title.
The 31-year-old has been there, he's seen it, he's done it, and if there's a trophy up for grabs, he's likely won it. So, with an emotional exit on the way, he has reflected on some of the best bits from his career at the Etihad Stadium.
Bernardo Silva On His Career At Man City
Bernardo Silva
With so many appearances in his nine years at Man City, there have been plenty of memorable moments, be it with teammates he has played with, or teams he has featured against, that Silva can recall.
The Portugal international recently sat down to discuss some of the highlights with The Athletic, from what it's like to play under Pep Guardiola, to his favourite teammates.
There are some interesting insights, such as naming Luka Modric as the best player he has come up against, and Ruben Dias as his best friend at the club.
However, most notably, he names Anfield as the best atmosphere in the Premier League when on the road with Man City, harking back to the rivalry between his side and Liverpool in years gone by.
In the full interview itself, Silva heaped praise on the Merseyside outfit by claiming they were the main competitors he faced over the years, particularly when Jurgen Klopp had his side playing at their very peak.
On the current rivalry with Arsenal, and the title picture, he claimed: "I do believe our main rivals (in his time at City) were Liverpool by far. I also believe — and I know this is very subjective — that if we were not in a transitional season and if we didn’t make so many mistakes, we would have won this league. I don’t say we would have won easily, but we would have won this league. So it’s quite frustrating.”
Bernardo Silva's Record vs Liverpool
Manchester City's Bernardo Silva in action with Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister
Premier League - Manchester City v Liverpool - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - November 25, 2023 Manchester City's Bernardo Silva in action with Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister REUTERS/Carl Recine
With Silva now likely to leave the Premier League and move elsewhere once his stint at Man City comes to an end, there will be a period of reflection to bask in the numbers he put up for the club.
The record against Liverpool in particular tells a story of just how competitive the league was when both teams were at their very best in years gone by.
Played Won Drawn Lost Goals scored Assists
22 9 6 7 4 4
Silva has just about edged it in head-to-heads with Liverpool, winning nine of the 22 appearances he has made against the Reds, with seven wins going the other way.
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With four goals and four assists, he has chipped in at points, while featuring on the right wing, as an attacking midfielder, or as a deeper midfielder when required.
There was a mutual respect between Liverpool and Man City that underlines the whole rivalry, one that now has fewer and fewer players from that era around to recreate those battles on the pitch.