Here we go again.

After a mini-revival, the familiar symptoms of Manchester City's losing run were back with a vengeance at Paris Saint-Germain. The hope, the collapse, the dropped heads. The defeatist talk post-match from the City camp.

Champions League qualification goes down to the final night next week, yet more concerning is Pep Guardiola's statement that City could not cope with the PSG midfield, or Jack Grealish's suggestion that the French side wanted the ball more than City did.

READ MORE: Man City get clear Liverpool incentive as play-off draw boost emerges despite Champions League fear

READ MORE: I saw what Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis did in strange first Man City training session

There have been plenty of inquests since November that have covered almost every aspect of City's squad, management, recruitment and mentality. But some players in particular have avoided scrutiny.

Guardiola says he will never forget the contribution of a handful of players who have featured through pain, lack of fitness and through awful form. Among those is Bernardo Silva - previously considered untouchable when it comes to both performance and attitude. Until now.

There is a quiet but growing discontent brewing against Bernardo for a perceived lack of contribution this season. As players have returned, he was rested against Salford when City scored eight, returned for the 2-2 collapse at Brentford, rested when City put six past Ipswich, and recalled for the 4-2 collapse in the Champions League.

He started nine of City's 12 winless games between October and December, and even his biggest fans will admit he has not reached his incredibly high standards of previous seasons. Like others, he has been overplayed due to a lack of options and kept City just about ticking until reinforcements got fit again.

Bernardo has played as a double pivot, a number eight, number ten, and as a winger on both flanks in that run, unable to lock down a run of games in the same position. As a result, his performances have suffered.

Fans are right to look at the more experienced players to pull City out of their slump, and Bernardo is one of the club captains. He has not held back on his criticism of City's performances, yet hasn't exactly put his money where his mouth is.

But is Bernardo the problem?

A fully fit and rested Bernardo surely plays better than he has. And a firing Bernardo is better with other fit, world-class players linking around him. Not to mention a settled role in the team rather than that of firefighter.

Only Erling Haaland has featured in more games this term, and only Haaland and Josko Gvardiol have played more minutes.

Bernardo's statistics are hardly those of an underperforming player - among the City squad he is second for fouls made, interceptions and attempted tackles. He is second among non-defenders for clearances, third for successful dribbles (after Jeremy Doku and Savinho), fourth for shots blocked and fouls attracted.

No player has blocked more passes, made more short key passes and Bernardo is first among midfielders and attackers for accurate long passes. Only Mateo Kovacic has made more total passes from midfielders and forwards.

So while these stats don't exactly paint a picture of a player at the top of his game, Bernardo is performing well enough compared to his peers at City. He is at least on par, while a subjective metric like WhoScored's ratings put his performances this season as the eighth-best in the City squad which is probably about fair (his three goals is seventh in the standings and his four assists joint fifth).

He could be doing more, especially in bigger, tougher games, but his effort cannot be questioned. If anything, he is one of many players who need a rest.

Nobody is above scrutiny at City this season, not even Guardiola. But in targeting Bernardo critics are maybe looking too closely in the wrong direction.