Silva is golden boy now

BOSS Pep Guardiola has underlined the importance of David Silva to his powerful Manchester City team.

City are 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League and still alive in three cup competitions.

With few weaknesses in the side, a number of players have made outstanding contributions but a remarkable statistic concerning Silva came to light this week.

City have won their last 24 games in which the Spanish playmaker has featured.

Guardiola said: “That’s why he’s playing every time. It’s a good record, normally when David plays you know you are a good team – he’s a special guy.

“David is so important but we try to make all the players feel they are so important.

“He knows he cannot do it alone. So we try to make a good team, a good team spirit with everyone involved, knowing with and without the ball what we have to do.

“David has had seven or eight years here – that’s a lot of games, a lot of experience. He has a huge personality, especially in the bad moments.

“The difference in the top players is, in the difficult games, they make a step forward and David is one of them.” POG-GY BANK: Paul Pogba was an £89m signing at Old Trafford Jan 2014: Man City 4 Cardiff 2 Aug 2013: Cardiff 3 Man City 2 Jan 1994: Cardiff 1 Man City 0 March 1985: Man City 2 Cardiff 2 Sept 1984: Cardiff 0 Man City 3

Cardiff – 9 wins Man City – 20 wins Draws – 20