Bernardo Silva: Manchester City 'Don't Need to Prove Anything to Anyone'

Bernardo Silva has said Manchester City "don't need to prove anything to anyone" after their recent shock defeat to Norwich City left them five points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. 

The newly-promoted Canaries claimed the standout win of the season so far last weekend when they downed the defending champions 3-2 at Carrow Road.

City's defence looked frail against Norwich:

After failing to replace Vincent Kompany in the summer, Aymeric Laporte picked up a long-term injury and John Stones is now sidelined.

It meant the 34-year-old Fernandinho had to drop into centre-back for City's 3-0 UEFA Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, and the Brazilian will likely have to take up the unfamiliar role again in Saturday's clash with Watford.

Speaking ahead of the Hornets' visit to the Etihad Stadium, Silva said the Sky Blues are confident they can bounce back from last weekend's loss, per Press Association (h/t Sky Sports):

"People can criticise and say what they want. We don't need to prove anything to anyone after what we've done the last two seasons. We're relaxed.

"Of course we're not happy because we want to do better and we know losing against Norwich isn't ideal, but all teams have good and bad moments. It's impossible to stay three seasons, only with good moments.

"Sometimes you will have bad moments, and it's the way you react to those bad moments that show how good a team you are and that's what we'll try to do. Every time we've had bad moments in the past we've always reacted well, and that's what we'll try to do again."

Given it is still so early in the season, Liverpool's five-point gap at the top of the table will not be as concerning for City as it would be in the closing stages of a campaign:

City overhauled a 10-point gap in December to the Reds last term and went on to win a second successive title.

If they triumph again in the English top flight this season, they will become only the third side in Premier League history to win three titles in a row—Manchester United did it between 1999 and 2001, and 2007 to 2009.

Already, though, City are on the back foot in the title race against a Liverpool side that lost only one game in the entirety of last term.

That said, the Sky Blues will have ambitions of closing the gap to Jurgen Klopp's side this weekend.

A win at home against bottom-of-the table Watford on Saturday will cut the gap at the top of the table to two points, and then Liverpool face a tough trip to Chelsea on Sunday.