Bernardo Silva says Chelsea's negative tactics were never going to change Manchester City's style

Bernardo claims City were always ready to play their expansive, offensive football no matter how Antonio Conte set his side up

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Bernardo Silva said Manchester City were not concerned by Chelsea’s ultra-conservative set-up at the Etihad after Pep Guardiola’s champions-elect edged closer to the Premier League title on Sunday.

Bernardo scored the only goal of the game less than a minute into the second half but the narrow scoreline did not reflect City’s total dominance over their unambitious visitors.

Antonio Conte’s defending champions did not register a single shot on target all afternoon as Eden Hazard laboured in the false nine role with Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud left on the bench.

Of all the sides to sit deep, defend in a low block and attempt to frustrate City this season, only Wigan Athletic have succeeded in defeating Guardiola’s side, while Shakhtar Donetsk and Liverpool have beaten City at their own game.

Bernardo believes that City are prepared to come up against any kind of game plan and were ready to play expansive, offensive football no matter how Conte set Chelsea up on Sunday.

“Chelsea can play the way they want,” he said after the final whistle. “We knew it could be a possibility and when the game started we had to adapt to it and then play our game.

“We always try to control the game, to play offensive football, to create chances and score goals. Fortunately tonight we won three more points and now we have to think about the next one.”

City’s goalscorer added: “We knew we knew we had to be patient because when you play against a team as defensive and as strong on the counter-attack as Chelsea, you have to be patient.

“You have to control their main players and that’s what we did. Fortunately we got three more points and we’re closer to the title.”

City now only require four more victories to seal the title, though three will suffice as their nearest challengers Manchester United - who play Crystal Palace on Monday night - are one of their next three opponents.

Bernardo echoed his team-mates’ calls in recent weeks to simply take the title-run by one game at a time, but also admitted that Guardiola’s players are pleased to find themselves in such a healthy position with three months of the season remaining.

“We want to think game by game but, of course, it means a lot for us to arrive in March and to be so close to winning the title,” he said. “We will do our best to keep winning games.”