Manchester City‘s Bernardo Silva recalled the moment that transformed his perception of the game. “Pep Guardiola called me to his office and he said: ‘This is what I’m thinking, are you prepared to do it?’ And I said, ‘I’ll do my best.'”
The Portugal international was talking about his manager’s radical plan to deploy him, one of the world’s best attacking midfielders, as a left-back against Aston Villa in February in a crucial game as they tried to chase down Premier League leaders Arsenal. The first question: why?
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
“Over the last few years, left-back has been a position for midfielders,” Silva explained to ESPN, as if stating something perfectly obvious. “Fabian Delph and Oleksandr Zinchenko both played there and would come in the middle with the ball, and without the ball they would defend a bit wider against wingers.
“Defensively I knew it would be very tough because I’m not a quick player, so I have to protect my back at the same time as checking the line so I don’t play everyone onside. With the ball, Pep wanted me to do the buildup next to the holding midfielder. I wasn’t expecting him to ask me to play there, but I saw it as a big challenge and I like to be in those positions where you learn.”
City beat Villa 3-1. Silva remained at left-back for the win by the same scoreline at Arsenal, which sent City to the top of the table above their title rivals. He then played the position again in the 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest, but still managed to pop up with a goal to put City ahead: a strike from a central area on the edge of the box — exactly the sort of position he would have taken up if he had started in midfield.
