Pep Guardiola has identified a "stupid detail" that revealed Manchester City's loss of passion this season – the way his players celebrated goals.
The City manager believes subdued celebrations during matches showed the team had lost their spirit during a disappointing campaign.
"We didn't celebrate this season when we scored the first goal in October, November, December, January like in past seasons," Guardiola said.
"Bernardo scored a goal in the first minutes against Forest and the way we celebrated it... That stupid detail says a lot about the passion that we had all the time and this season we didn't have it."
Pep Guardiola insisted his side had lost their passion earlier in the season
Reuters
The manager noted that Silva's celebration during Tuesday's win over Aston Villa was noticeably more exuberant, suggesting an improvement in team spirit.
It has been a difficult season for the reigning champions, who suffered a dramatic collapse after a strong start.
City were flying high and unbeaten at the end of October, only to endure nine defeats in 13 games with just one victory during that abysmal run.
Guardiola attributed much of this decline to injuries, saying: "We had 12, 13 players, every three days. We could not recover with the pace and energy it was necessary to have."
"We have to recover that spirit that we had during those nine years."
City's form has improved recently, with five wins and a draw since the March international break.
Players have noticed a positive shift, with Guardiola pleased by performances that have reminded him of previous seasons when standards were higher.
City have also welcomed Ballon d'Or winner Rodri back into occasional training as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury.
The midfielder is hoping to return before the end of the season, with Guardiola encouraged by his influence around the squad.
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"I always say to the guys who don't play and are injured I allow them to be a manager," Guardiola said. "Rodri knows perfectly how he can help the guys there."
City face Nottingham Forest in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, aiming to reach a third consecutive final.
Guardiola has warned his team they must "learn lessons" from their disappointing campaign.
"I've said many times, the season has not been good," Guardiola admitted. "Next season will be better. I think everyone has learned the lesson."
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