Manchester City are chasing trophies on four fronts — but inside the dressing room, the mood is far from comfortable.
Now captain Bernardo Silva has delivered a brutally honest message to his teammates: stop complaining and fix the mistakes.
Bernardo Silva Sends Stark Message to Man City Squad After Costly Draw: “No Point Crying”
Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva has delivered a blunt message to his teammates following another frustrating slip in the Premier League title race.
After the champions were held to a 2–2 draw against Nottingham Forest, Silva admitted the result left the squad deeply frustrated — but insisted the players must stop looking for excuses and take responsibility for their own mistakes.
His message to the dressing room was clear:
There’s no time to feel sorry for themselves.
The Penalty That Never Came
One moment from the match continues to spark debate among Manchester City players and fans.
Late in the game, Erling Haaland appeared to be fouled by Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels inside the penalty area.
Replays showed Sels colliding with Haaland while seemingly missing the ball entirely — a challenge that many expected to result in a penalty.
But referee Darren England waved play on, leaving City stunned.
For Silva, the decision still feels baffling.
Every time he sees the replay, he admits the call becomes harder to understand.
But despite the frustration, the Portuguese midfielder refuses to blame the officials.
“It’s On Us”
Silva made it clear that Manchester City’s problems go far beyond one refereeing decision.
According to the captain, the dropped points are the result of repeated mistakes that the team itself must fix.
“It’s on us that we didn’t win against Forest,” Silva admitted.
He pointed to several costly moments from recent matches:
Conceding a late equalizer against Chelsea at home
Failing to beat Brighton at the Etihad
Letting a 2–0 lead slip against Tottenham away
Against Nottingham Forest, City once again found themselves in control of the game — only to lose it.
“We were leading twice and we let them come back. This is all on us.”
Those dropped points have left City trailing Arsenal by seven points at the top of the Premier League table.
Defensive Errors Under the Microscope
Silva was particularly frustrated by the defensive mistakes that allowed Forest to equalize.
Forest’s first goal, scored by Morgan Gibbs-White, was a stunning strike that Silva admitted deserved applause.
“The way he finishes, it’s quite surprising. In that situation we clap and that’s it.”
But the second goal told a different story.
Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson found space in midfield and combined with Callum Hudson-Odoi before firing a long-range shot into the corner.
Silva believes the problem came from City failing to track the movement and apply pressure.
“The second goal frustrates me more because we don’t defend well. There’s a clear one-two that we don’t follow.”
In modern football, small defensive lapses can be brutally punished — and Silva says City must improve the basics.
“When you don’t do the basics well, you get punished.”
Title Race Pressure Building
The draw with Nottingham Forest has made Manchester City’s path to the Premier League title significantly harder.
With nine league matches remaining, Arsenal currently hold a seven-point advantage at the top of the table.
City still believe the race is far from over.
But Silva admits the team wanted to stay closer to the leaders and increase the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side.
“We wanted to be closer to put a bit more pressure on them. This feels frustrating.”
The captain knows the challenge ahead will only grow more difficult.
No Time for Regret
Despite the disappointment, Manchester City still have plenty to fight for this season.
The club remains alive in four competitions:
Premier League
Champions League
FA Cup
Carabao Cup
In the coming weeks, City will face major challenges including:
A Champions League showdown with Real Madrid
An FA Cup tie against Newcastle
A Carabao Cup final against Arsenal
With so much at stake, Silva believes dwelling on mistakes could be disastrous.
“There’s no point looking back now and crying. We need to go for the next game.”
A Season Still Hanging in the Balance
Manchester City’s season now stands at a delicate crossroads.
The team has the talent and experience to recover and fight for multiple trophies.
But recent performances have shown that even small errors can derail their ambitions.
Silva’s message reflects both frustration and determination.
Mistakes will happen.
But the champions cannot allow those mistakes to define their season.
Because with only a handful of matches remaining, every point — and every decision — could shape the final outcome.
And for Manchester City, the margin for error is disappearing fast.
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