Bernardo Silva has commented on how he famously snubbed Man City‘s guard of honour for Liverpool, while dismissing Arsenal by saying the Reds were their ‘main rivals by far’.
Despite Arsenal having finished second for the last three seasons – behind Man City in 2023 and 2024 – Silva has said Liverpool have been his biggest rivals “by far” at Man City.
The Portuguese attacking midfielder is closing the curtain on nine years in Manchester this summer and has been reflecting on his spell at the Etihad.
Asked about Arsenal‘s title challenge this season, Silva told the Athletic: “They’ve been growing and well, it’s a team that has been together for, what, five years now, so it’s only natural that they would man up a little bit and start challenging for titles.”
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 9, 2025: Manchester City's captain Bernardo Silva celebrates his side's second goal during the FA Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. Man City won 3-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The 31-year-old clearly isn’t a fan of Mikel Arteta’s side, adding: “No, I’m not in love.
“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.”
Man City 2-1 Liverpool: The highest quality Premier League match?
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Thursday, January 3, 2019: Manchester City's Bernardo Silva and Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the FA Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the Etihad Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Silva was shown a photo of John Stones clearing the ball off the line against Liverpool in Man City‘s 2-1 home win back in 2019.
Had the ball travelled 11.7 millimetres further, the Reds would have finished the season as unbeaten centurions, winning the Premier League and Champions League.
In the end, Liverpool did win the latter but finished second in the league by one point, despite earning 97 points of their own.
Looking back at that 2-1 win for Man City, Silva said: “It was an incredible game, one of the most intense games I played, for sure.
“Both teams were at the peak of their powers. We won all the domestic trophies that season and Liverpool won the Champions League.
“It was a special rivalry and a special game, a very important one for us.”
Refusing to give Liverpool a guard of honour
While Silva may be talking about Liverpool in high esteem now, he hasn’t always shown the same respect.
After the Reds were pipped to the league in 2019, they went and blew the division away the following season. With Liverpool’s title already wrapped up, Man City gave a guard of honour at Anfield.
Well, most of the team did; Silva didn’t. He refused to applaud.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have done what I did,” he said while grinning and talking to Mail.
“I’m a bad loser but it’s a fun moment. I think some people give way too much importance to that.
“When I win a title, I want to celebrate with my people. I don’t care if the guys from the other side, or the other fans, they clap at me.”