Bernardo Silva, a mainstay of the midfield since 2017, was equally effusive in his praise for the man who oversaw the most successful period in the club's history. While City fell to Villa on the day despite an early goal from Antoine Semenyo, the result felt secondary to the tributes being paid to the tactical mastermind behind their rise.
Silva said: "Pep's the reason we won so much. He was at the wheel, making the decisions and creating this monster of a team and, on a personal level, he's my father in football. I do believe he's the greatest manager ever."