Bernardo Silva is irreplaceable and a winning player for us – Pep Guardiola

Erling Haaland’s hat-trick inevitably stole the limelight but Pep Guardiola pointed to the key contribution of Bernardo Silva after Manchester City came from two goals down to beat Crystal Palace 4-2 on Saturday.

Haaland was the matchwinner but it was Bernardo’s 53rd-minute deflected strike that got City back in the game after Palace’s first-half dominance was rewarded through a John Stones own goal and Joachim Andersen’s header.

In a week when Guardiola ruled out selling him to either Barcelona or Paris St Germain, Bernardo was the best player on the pitch, once again full of running and invention, dragging City back into the contest and playing a major role in Haaland’s second of the afternoon.

“I’m happy that Bernardo became a winning player,” Guardiola said. “Of course the highlights will be of Erling. But we cannot forget what Bernardo has done, scoring the goal and creating down the right side in the second half.

“What amazes me about Bernardo is that when the game is going wrong he makes a step forward, he loves to play in this situation. He’s comfortable with it. Some players maybe step backward and he makes a step forward. That’s why he is irreplaceable in many ways for us…

“He’s so important for us, he can play in four or five positions. And it’s not just on the pitch, it’s off it too. In the locker room, I want him here so much.”

Haaland is still finding his way in City’s system but has started life in the Premier League with six goals in four games, getting his hat-trick here in the space of 20 second-half minutes.

“What’s important is he’s a lovely guy, down to earth,” Guardiola said. “We are completely in love with him. It’s not just the goals, it’s how happy he is. I see his behaviour and his body