Man City vs Tottenham: Five things we learned as Bernardo Silva shows why he is on the PFA shortlist

Spurs’s patched-up squad finally falter to leave the top-four chase wide open, while could Kevin De Bruyne’s injury derail City’s title tilt?

1) Foden’s first of many

Amid the clamour for Phil Foden to get more game time, which tends to comes laced with a kind of unpalatable jingoism, it is easy to forget that he is still 18, and apparently will be until he is 19. This was his 24th appearance of the season, hardly a bad return, and that number is only likely to go up over the coming years.

Against Tottenham showed a little of everything: what he can bring, namely that sharp movement and that innate sense of where and when to be in the box to score Manchester City’s opener; and where his game’s rough edges can be sharpened, like his through balls to Sergio Aguero which were too heavy a few times, or his snatched finish at the start of the second half. So long as he keeps performing and improving when he gets these opportunities, there will be plenty of time for Foden to add to his first Premier League goal.

2) Could De Bruyne’s knee decide the title race?

The biggest blight on Manchester City’s day was undoubtedly the injury to Kevin De Bruyne, who hobbled off in the first half after going down clutching his knee. There is yet to be a diagnosis but the scene looked worryingly like more ligament damage, and the possibility of De Bruyne missing the rest of this Premier League season looms large.

It could have serious implications for the title race: while De Bruyne has not been an ever-present this season, in recent weeks he has started to get close to his best form again, racking up assists with his whip of a right foot, not least against Tottenham in that extraordinary Champions League exit. City’s squad is packed with options, but De Bruyne is one player of unique talent who will be hard to replace.

3) Top four never has never been so in the balance

Tottenham: played 34, points 67. Arsenal: played 33, points 66. Chelsea, played 34, points 66. Manchester United, played 33, points 64. Spurs’s defeat at the Etihad means the top-four race has never been tighter. Any two of those four could conceivably squeeze in, in just about any possible order.

From Tottenham’s perspective the key now is that Mauricio Pochettino finds the right balance between the Premier League and the Champions League. The two games against Ajax are two of the biggest in the club’s history, and yet taking their eye of the immediate prize could be costly, particularly with dangerous opponents like West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton still to come.

4) Silva shows why he’s on the shortlist

This morning the PFA Player of the Year shortlist was announced, and while it was a surprise to see Son Heung-min omitted from the six, it was great Bernardo Silva recognised. Those who watch City play regularly cannot speak highly enough of the midfielder, many of whom think he has been their best player this season even taking into account the brilliant form of Raheem Sterling.

Bernardo Silva was the star of the show (AP)

Once again he starred in this game like he has in so many matches this season, tinkling in between dangling Spurs legs, pulling the ball out of the sky with ease, almost tricking his way to a penalty in the first half, though the referee disagreed. The Portuguese has been a quiet revelation, perhaps too quiet to win an award, but his name on the shortlist is the very least he deserves.

5) Squad depth takes its toll

Perhaps this was one step too many for Tottenham. In the Champions League a patched-up Spurs side managed to fight their way through to the semi-finals, but another visit to the Etihad was too much to handle. Mauricio Pochettino was forced to field an extremely defensive side simply because of the players he had available. In contrast, Pep Guardiola was able to bring on Fernandinho, Leroy Sane and David Silva from his gold-plated bench. Money is not everything in football, as Spurs themselves can attest to, but sometimes, when the margins are this tight, it sure can help.