I wouldn’t have owned up to ref either says Silva Heady 42 news 706 bold headliney

DAVID SILVA says Raheem Sterling was right not to own up over his penalty controversy.

Sterling kept quiet after he won a penalty for tripping himself up in Manchester City’s 6-0 Champions League drubbing of Shakhtar Donetsk.

But Silva says he would have done the same thing because City had sometimes been unfairly denied spot-kicks.

“No, no,” said the Spanish playmaker. “I wouldn’t have said anything to the referee because the next time you may not get a penalty, even a cast-iron one.

“We had one the other week with Leroy Sane.

“I thought it should have been a penalty and the referee didn’t give it. So if I say ‘no, it wasn’t a penalty’, the referee’s not going to turn round later in the game and say ‘have a penalty’. “So, do what you do.” Sterling scored a cracker in the rout and the Magician – as Silva is nicknamed – hailed the England star, who is emerging as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

“I said years ago when I first set eyes on him ‘what a player!’,” said Silva.

“He’s an incredible player and he can be one of the best players in the world and he’s certainly performing very well.”

He was speaking at an event where a City fan won a week’s holiday at the Anfi resort in his native Gran Canaria for the most-creative beach outfit. Silva will return there after Sunday’s derby and he claims City’s 6-1 demolition of Manchester United at Old Trafford seven years ago was the moment the balance of power shifted in their favour.

“United commanded a lot of respect then, but it changed from when we won there 6-1,” he said.

“The mentality changed that day. Now we are held in great esteem.

“The result, the fact that it was at United and the respect United commanded, makes it one derby that will forever go down in history.”