Manchester City star Bernardo Silva has paid tribute to Newcastle fans and Eddie Howe’s team after Sunday’s 3-3 draw.
The two sides played out a Premier League classic at St James’ Park, in an end-to-end game that will have dazzled the neutrals.
For the Newcastle fans, it was a blistering watch. Agony, ecstasy, agony again then relief. It had everything.
The Magpies really did themselves proud against the champions, and will be disappointed not to have actually won the game.
Howe’s team performed brilliantly and really caused City problems, while the fans cheered them on throughout the 90 minutes.
It was a wonderful afternoon inside of St James’ Park, and Silva has since reacted to what happened.
What Bernardo Silva said on Newcastle
The Portuguese midfielder spoke to Man City’s official website after the game and praised Newcastle for their role in a brilliant game.
“The last 25 or 30 minutes of the first half were very tough,” he said.
“They could have scored more than twice in that time.”
Silva then went on to add: “We knew how tough it is to come here. The atmosphere is great. It’s a very physical team. They’ve been great over the last few months. They’re in a great state of mind with very positive energy.”
Newcastle were too much for City at times
The way Newcastle bounced back in the first half was incredible. The response to going behind actually surprised Howe, and Bernardo thinks the Magpies could have scored even more.
His assessment of our performance is very respectful. The 28-year-old has spoke about how good we were rather than City simply not being at it. We made it difficult for them, particularly in the first half.
It’s something you rarely see against Pep Guardiola’s side, but we were absolutely relentless.
The players on the pitch delivered, and they fed off the incredible atmosphere inside St James’ Park. As Bernardo Silva says, we have been great in recent months, and that’s why the feeling inside the stadium is so special.
The fans believe, the players believe and the manager believes. It’s the perfect recipe for success.
Bernardo’s comments also show how even the biggest teams can be impacted by the St James’ Park noise. It roars the Magpies on, and they can now step up against arguably the best team in the world.
But it’s a testament to City’s ability that they were able to respond. They didn’t panic about being two goals down. If anything it motivated them.
That’s a level that it will take Newcastle a long time to reach. But for now, Newcastle fans will be very happy with the start to the new season. Three wins, zero defeats and going toe-to-toe with the champions.
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