Bernardo Silva looking to break hearts of old friends as City target title

Where some have questioned the desire of Manchester City’s players to claim more silverware after a period of dominance, this is often the time they show the fight to prove doubters wrong.

And, according to Bernardo Silva, even if that means disappointing old friends and the man they expected to replace Pep Guardiola as manager.

The City midfielder was not alone in being sad last summer when the popular Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus left to join an Arsenal side led by Mikel Arteta, who was Guardiola’s former assistant at the Etihad.

But Bernardo and his team-mates will put sentiment to one side to try to overhaul the table-topping Gunners and win a fifth Premier League title in six seasons.

“They are very special players, big friends,” he told Arab News exclusively. “Personally I was very sad to see them go and especially to a rival — and knowing that Arsenal were growing, getting better.

“You also know the manager that is there is so, so good because he worked with us. You could see from the beginning how special Mikel was — and he is showing it now,” the Portuguese international said ahead of City’s Premier League clash at Crystal Palace.

“We know how good he is and when you add to that young team, players with that kind of energy of Zinchenko and Gabriel, and it’s not going to be good for us.”

Arteta took charge of Arsenal in 2019 and has transformed them into title challengers.

Bernardo, who joined City in 2017 from Monaco and has won four league titles, added: “Mikel was very close to us. Apart from his knowledge of the game, he’s a very good guy and very demanding as well. 

“It’s not easy with him. If you don’t do things properly he will shout at you and tell you the good way to do things. But