Pep Guardiola’s side returned to Premier League action in thrilling style following the international break, putting newly-promoted Fulham to the sword in emphatic style at the Etihad.
And the media reports on how Saturday’s Silva streak helped illuminate City’s display – and sent out an ominous warning to our rivals that the reigning champions are warming to the task of defending the title.
The Manchester Evening News lead the way with warm words for Portuguese midfield marvel Bernardo, who produced a man-of-the-match display.
Simon Bajkowski reports on how Bernardo’s performance garnered special praise from manager Guardiola.
READ: Man City Fulham Sergio Aguero Pep Guardiola injury update
WATCH: Man City v Fulham extended highlights
GALLERY: Man City Fulham match gallery Premier League 15 September
He writes: “Bernardo Silva’s resilience is now shining through on the pitch, according to Pep Guardiola.
“The Manchester City forward is in possession of one of the finest touches in football, but is imposing himself on more games through guile and strength.
“Against Fulham, he picked exactly the right moment to win the ball back and create the second goal for David Silva in a man-of-the-match performance.
“Guardiola has already said he is the first name on the team sheet and part of that is down to his attitude when he wasn’t.
“It is almost impossible to be more pleased as a manager with him,” he said.
“He deserves to play all the minutes he plays. He’s a good example for all of the guys. I don’t forget the behaviour he had last season when he played a lot but didn’t start. I don’t forget that behaviour in front of his teammates. He’s an example.
“If I stay here, this guy will stay here. He’s smarter than the others ones because normally when you want to fight with one guy one against one he will lose 10/10. But he’s so clever that he finds the right moment when they are not stable. That’s why he’s so intelligent. “
Meanwhile, in the Daily Mail it was David Silva who came in for a special salute after another marvellous performance from El Mago
Joe Bernstein writes: “David Silva marked his 350th game for Manchester City with a trademark goal and won praise from manager Pep Guardiola for his footballing intelligence.
READ: Man City v Fulham Sane Delph reaction
WATCH: Man City v Fulham Pep Guardiola post match press conference
“Silva instantly cushioned Sergio Aguero‘s deflected shot on his chest before rifling in a finish off the underside of the crossbar to put City 2-0 ahead in his milestone game.
“The 32-year-old Spaniard has been involved in all seven of City’s major trophies during the Abu Dhabi era and Guardiola said: ‘To play 350 games, you have to be here for a long time, healthy, positive and with a good mentality.
“It is a lot of games so he has to be so proud. I think the fans are proud of him but he has to be proud of himself also. To do that in England, to survive in a physical league with his type of play, it shows his intelligence on the pitch. It is a big number.’”
Over in The Independent it was the manner of City’s all-round display that caught the eye of Alam Khan.
And he reports on how the way City went about their task carried several echoes of last season’s record-breaking title triumph for the Blues.
Khan scribed: “It has taken a little time but Pep Guardiola‘s marvellous Manchester City machine moved up a gear as they engineered a victory of such dominance that even the opposition manager was left bewildered and well beaten.
“Leroy Sane marked his return to the side with the opener before David Silva and Raheem Sterling confirmed a resounding victory.
“After one of their 28 shots on goal, Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic turned to his bench and shrugged his shoulders.
“It was as if to say, how do you stop the seemingly unstoppable?”
READ: Strong presence for City in FIFA 19 Top 100
WATCH: Sergio Aguero Man City player of the month
Reporting for the Daily Telegraph, James Ducker was also taken aback by the way City went about their task.
Ducker wrote: “For opponents, coming to the Etihad must invariably feel like trying to scale a treacherous mountain in relentlessly suffocating conditions. Fulham became the latest to more or less accept defeat at base camp. Pep Guardiola had said his team would get fully up to speed after the international break and so they are.
“Bernardo Silva was the pick of a brilliant bunch, David Silva marked his 350th game for City with his 50th goal in the Premier League and rumours of Leroy Sane’s demise have, evidently, been greatly exaggerated. Restored to the team after recent criticism, the Germany winger capped a memorable week after becoming a father to a baby girl with a goal.
“The only slight disappointment for Guardiola was that his side squandered so many chances and Sergio Aguero will require assessment before Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Lyon about being substituted early in the second half with a sore ankle.
“Three-nil is a good result but we created a lot of chances to score five, six, seven goals and we have to be more clinical because the contenders are so tough and the goal difference is important,” the City manager said.
Finally, ESPN’s City correspondent Jonathan Smith reported on Leroy Sane’s delight at rounding off a week he will never forget in style.
Smith reports: “Leroy Sane marked a week to remember with a goal in Manchester City’s 3-0 victory over Fulham, days after becoming a father for the first time.
“Sane, 23, left the Germany camp for the birth of his daughter, Rio Stella, last week and on Saturday made his first Premier League start of the season, taking just 97 seconds to open the scoring.
“[It was] a fantastic week for me -- I became a daddy this week,” Sane told Premier League TV. “It was also a good game today and we won, we played a good game.
“I’m relaxed at the moment, I train hard and when the manager gives me an opportunity, I show him what I can do. The next game on Wednesday is a really important game.”
