Bernardo Silva has expressed that Manchester City‘s opponents tend to get “all the 50-50 decisions,” citing that Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot should have been sent off during the 2-0 Manchester derby loss at Old Trafford.
United celebrated Michael Carrick’s first match as head coach with a decisive victory—three of their goals were ruled offside, and they struck the woodwork twice. This win not only enhances their Champions League prospects but also significantly hampers City’s title hopes.
Referee Anthony Taylor issued a yellow card to Dalot for a foul on Jérémy Doku in the 10th minute, a decision upheld by VAR, allowing United to maintain their full squad for the majority of the match with the score still tied at 0-0.
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Silva stated that the decision reflected a pattern of unfavorable calls against his team throughout the season.
“I observed the challenge; it is what it is,” Silva said. “This season, it seems that all the 50-50 calls go against us, favoring our rivals.”
“While that wasn’t the reason [for our loss], I reviewed the footage, and it is indeed a red card,” he added. “We have no excuses after a performance like today; it was subpar. United deserved their win. They were more energetic and had greater intent; we seemed consistently distant from being a threat.”
“We essentially handed them the game. They played to their strengths, where we were weak. Our performance was lacking in many areas; it was unquestionably a disappointing day.”
City boss Pep Guardiola echoed Silva’s sentiments, agreeing that Dalot should have received a red card but refrained from attributing the loss to that incident.
“It was a red card,” Guardiola stated. “However, as a manager, it would be misguided to analyze that as the reason we lost the game. The better team emerged victorious. They possessed the energy we lacked. In my 27 derbies over the past decade, I’ve been here many times, but we simply didn’t meet the required standard to win.”
“That’s part of football; such things can occur. In a derby, energy is crucial, and we felt we were lacking in that department. We didn’t pose a threat, nor did we create effective movements or crosses to attempt to secure a win. It’s about what we do with the ball, both in victory and defeat.”