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LONDON — Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola heaped praise on Bernardo Silva after the Portuguese star’s stellar performance in the 3-0 win over Manchester United in the derby, calling him an "incredible player" for the club.
Bernardo exhibited brilliant form throughout the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Sunday and provided the assist for Erling Haaland and the club's second goal and was voted man of the match, despite team-mate Haaland scoring twice and assisting another.
Following the match, Guardiola was effusive in his praise of the Portuguese international, commending the player for his adaptability, astuteness, and his simple lifestyle away from the field.
“He doesn’t have any tattoos or a nice car – he is an incredible player for us. He loves to play at Old Trafford. He's played as false 9 in the past and he has the ability to make a lot of passes," said Guardiola.
“He is so intelligent - everyone loves him, and it was another exceptional performance. He's one of the best players I've ever seen in my life. I've trained a lot and he's one of the best," he added.
Haaland scored two goals and created another as Manchester City claimed bragging rights in the derby with a win over Manchester United.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]The Norwegian netted a first-half penalty and completed his double with a header shortly after the break, before setting up Phil Foden for a third as City closed the gap on leaders Tottenham Hotspur to two points.
The City boss was delighted by his team’s performance against the Reds, and pinpointed Haaland’s second strike as a key moment in the game.
"The second goal helped us a lot. We talked at half-time and thought they would be more aggressive. We made two incredible build-ups with Ruben and Ederson. After we dropped and after Bernardo and Jack made a good action and those were the key points of the game.
"The first seven minutes we lost the ball because we didn't do simple things. We allowed them to make a transition. The second half was brilliant. Last season we lost, this season we won, and it is always special to win at Old Trafford," he said.
Guardiola's side are third on point table with 24 points, level with Arsenal.