When Pep Guardiola introduced Phil Foden into Manchester City‘s clash with Wolves, he was likely expecting a spark, not a bloody collision between teammates. But in the 74th minute, with the score tied, Foden unintentionally turned his aggression toward fellow City star Bernardo Silva.
It all unfolded when Jack Grealish, fresh off the bench, sent in a cross to the far post. Bernardo, rushing in with eyes on the ball, saw his chance to head it home. Unfortunately for him, so did Foden—except the England international decided to go for a more dramatic finish with his boot. In an unlucky twist, Foden managed to make contact with both the ball and, painfully, with the studs of his boot on Bernardo’s forehead.
The impact sent Bernardo rolling off the field, only to quickly roll back on in typical footballer fashion. Referee Chris Kavanagh immediately stopped the game as Wolves goalkeeper and Bernardo’s Portugal teammate, Jose Sa, signaled for medical attention, with blood pouring from Bernardo’s forehead.
City’s medical staff acted fast, cleaning up the gash and applying enough vaseline to keep him from suffering a repeat of Matthijs de Ligt’s bloodied incident at Old Trafford days earlier. After some quick patchwork, Bernardo returned to the pitch, ready to help City push for a much-needed winner.
Bernardo Silva inspects the blood on his hands after the accidental clash with Phil Foden
By then, City had already endured a shaky start, falling behind after just seven minutes. Santiago Bueno’s composed play under pressure released Nelson Semedo down the right wing, whose pinpoint cross found Jorgen Strand Larsen. The Norwegian striker calmly finished past Ederson, giving Wolves a surprise lead.
Wolves nearly doubled their advantage when Semedo broke free again, but this time Ederson denied him with a crucial save. That missed opportunity would prove costly for Wolves as City’s Josko Gvardiol later equalized with a powerful long-range strike.
The drama didn’t end there. In stoppage time, with the game on a knife-edge, John Stones rose to the occasion with a towering 95th-minute header, sealing a 2-1 victory for City and breaking Wolves’ hearts.
Despite the blood and chaos, it was a triumphant day for Guardiola’s side, and Bernardo, with his bandaged head, played on as they fought their way to another crucial win.
