Bernardo's brilliant season

Mike Minay, BBC Radio Manchester

The rumours were focused on his exit from the club in the summer, but Bernardo Silva has just scooped the club's player of the month award for the third consecutive time. No player, since the award began, has done that at City.

He's been described as "undroppable" by manager Pep Guardiola after two seasons that saw him dip in form since his explosive 2018-19 campaign.

"I have the feeling he's happy here," added the City boss. "He's so intuitive, so intelligent. He's a player that knows exactly what is going on, every single action. What he has done this season so far, it's difficult to find in Europe a player like him right now."

Silva has already levelled his best scoring season for the Blues in the Premier League with seven. But it's more than that. The ball is sticking to his feet like glue at times (think Liverpool at Anfield earlier this season when he beat six men in one movement). He's finding the right passes, the right positions.

Team-mate Ilkay Gundogan told BBC Radio Manchester: "I think he’s very underrated because he puts so much work and effort into everything he’s doing on the pitch.

"Sometimes people don’t see it enough, but we know in the club how important he is for us. We are very happy he’s here and he’s having an incredible season. Hopefully he can continue and win us a lot of season."

Gundogan highlighted the links between Silva and other players around him. There does seem to be a seamless connection between him and Riyad Mahrez on the right, Rodri in central midfield and then out to the left with Phil Foden, Jack Grealish or Raheem Sterling.

Although he doesn't have a link-up with Ruben Dias necessarily, his compatriot told me: "I enjoy a lot watching him from the back."

As for the man himself, he's remaining humble. "It's just the beginning," he said. "It won’t matter if we don’t keep the momentum, if we don’t keep winning games and stay top of the league."