Compassionate Pep welcomes Silva back into City squad for trip to Stoke

PEP GUARDIOLA has indicated that he will continue to give David Silva as much time off as he needs to be with his prematurely born son.

The Manchester City midfielder is set to return for tonight’s Premier League match at Stoke, having missed last Wednesday’s Champions League match against Basel to visit his family in his native Spain.

Silva’s son Mateo is “doing well”, according to Guardiola, having been fighting for his life in a Valencia hospital after being born prematurely in December.

Yessica Suarez Gonzalez, Silva’s partner, has remained out in Spain with their son, and the midfielder has missed a number of matches over the past three months to spend time with them.

Guardiola indicated that the Spain international would be allowed to miss City’s training break in Abu Dhabi, which follows the match at Stoke, in order to return to Valencia.

“He wants to be here but sometimes he needs to come back and see his son and wife, who are doing well. He has to go there,” said Guardiola.

TRAINED

“He trains on his own in Valencia when he goes there. Of course, for the game against Basel he decided to go to Valencia. He came back and trained on Thursday. He will be ready to play against Stoke City and after that when we will go to Abu Dhabi, he will stay in Spain.

“What has happened has happened. His family and son are the most important things. Hopefully he can sort it as soon as possible, his lovely kid can grow and grow and he can stay with us.”

Guardiola, meanwhile, will have to plan without Sergio Aguero tonight after his leading marksman picked up a knee injury in training.

The striker, City’s leading scorer this season with 30 goals, has indicated he will be out for around two weeks after suffering the injury on Saturday.

It means that Gabriel Jesus is set to make his first Premier League start in more than two months after recovering from medial knee ligament damage.

Aguero’s injury is not as big a setback as it could have been, given that City do not play again for nearly three weeks following tonight’s match.

Aguero posted on Twitter yesterday: “During training I had a discomfort on my left knee.

“The club’s doctors told me I’ll be back with the team in approximately two weeks.”

Stoke City v Manchester City, live, Sky Sports Premier League, 8.0