Third-placed City trail leaders Liverpool by seven points
Friday 28 December 2018 13:20, UK
Bernardo Silva admits Manchester City will need to be "almost perfect" over the remainder of the Premier League season if they are to retain the title.
City have suffered back-to-back upset defeats to Crystal Palace and Leicester - and find themselves seven points behind unbeaten pace-setters Liverpool in third place.
They have a chance to get back into the race when they play Liverpool next week and midfielder Silva thinks City cannot afford any more slip-ups.
He said: "Seven points to Liverpool is starting to be a lot.
"We are not playing as well as we want, we have to find an explanation. We have lost two games that we should not do if we are in a race for the title.
"It is mathematically possible - but we have to be almost perfect from now.
"It's difficult. We have to start winning games again, otherwise things will get complicated.
"Since I have been here, this team has always reacted well to bad situations. When we lost, we would win the next game but now, to lose two games in a row, is not easy."
City have been without key players due to injury throughout the season - and the absence of holding midfielder Fernandinho was cited as a reason for the losses to Palace and Leicester.
But Silva said: "We have injuries but we don't want to create those kind of excuses.
"We have to sort out what mistakes we have made, and try not to make them in the next games.
"We need to start to winning again as fast as we can, starting with Southampton [on Sunday]."
