da betway： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
da betcris： Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva has been handed a £50,000 fine and a one-match ban for the tweet he sent to Benjamin Mendy.
The social media comment was deemed a breach of FA Rule E3, which has now forced the Portugal international to watch from the stands against Chelsea.
The clash with the Blues is set to be a huge one for Pep Guardiola’s men, with a nine-point gap now opened up by Liverpool. Plus, the form of Chelsea has put them narrowly ahead of the champions by just a point in the table.
As a result of the ban and the magnitude of the game, it has handed Riyad Mahrez a golden opportunity to impress Guardiola. The Algeria international has started only five Premier League games, whilst Silva has been preferred, starting eight times.
However, the form of Mahrez has been not too far off what Silva has shown. The tricky winger has two goals and three assists in the league, which has come in three games less than the former Monaco man.
On the other hand, Silva does boast a very impressive five league goals – only Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling have more.
If Mahrez gets the nod and puts in a positive performance against one of the most in-form teams in the Premier League right now, he could well convince Guardiola to start him on a more regular basis.
Last season, Mahrez made just 14 Premier League starts and has struggled to cement his place in the side on a regular basis this season despite showcasing a marked improvement from the previous campaign; the fact he was an unused substitute against Liverpool hints he’s still not fully trusted.
Against a prestigious outfit in Chelsea, the £60m man must take what could be a golden opportunity to underline his worth to the club.