SILVA JUST PURE GOLD
EVERY KICK, EVERY GOAL, EVERY GAME Pep praises Barca-class star
DAVID SILVA might never have played 300 games for Manchester City if Pep Guardiola had taken a rival manager’s advice seven years ago.
Unai Emery urged Guardiola to take the midfielder to Barcelona but Valencia’s asking price prevented a deal being done.
Instead, Silva made the £24m move from Spain to Manchester back in 2010 and has paid back the fee in spades since, gliding through opposing defences to create chances and taking the captain’s armband during Vincent Kompany’s injury absences.
Former City great Mike Summerbee thinks the 31-year-old could be the best player ever to pull on the club’s shirt.
And Guardiola puts him in the same class as Barcelona legends Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
Guardiola said: “I remember when I was at Barcelona. The first or second year I was there, Unai Emery, who is now the PSG trainer, was at Valencia with Silva.
Special
“After we played them, he told me, ‘David Silva is the player for you, for Barcelona. Believe me, that is a player for Barcelona by far.’
“And he was so right. He’s a special player but he was so expensive.”
Silva wasn’t the star man against Hull, that honour went to Raheem Sterling, who claimed two assists.
But on his 300th appearance, the Spain international’s incisive passing and vision were there for all to see.
His pass played Jesus Navas down the right to cross for the opener on the half-hour, turned into his own net by Ahmed Elmohamady.
Then he was part of a beautifully worked move for the second, which ended with Sterling cutting back for Sergio Aguero to squeeze in City 100th goal of the season.
And Fabian Delph then blasted in from 20 yards for the third.
It strengthened City’s grip on fourth place and would have sealed a perfect afternoon for Guardiola, had Claudio Bravo’s troubles not surfaced again.
Bravo, recalled for his first league game since January 21, let Andrea Ranocchia’s late shot slide under his left hand from Hull’s only effort on target.
With just one point from their last 14 games on the road, home form will be key to Hull’s survival.
Goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic said: “We could win all three home games and get to 39 points. Would that be enough? Maybe, but we need away points.” Navas 7, MAN CITY (4-2-3-1): Bravo 4; 7 Stones 6, Kolarov 7, Clichy 6; Toure 8, Silva 7 (Fernando 74, 6), Delph 7; STERLING 66, 6); Aguero 7. (Iheanacho 73, 6), Sane 7 (Nolito De Bruyne. Subs: Caballero, Kompany, Zabaleta, League, UP NEXT: Southampton (a), Premier Saturday. 7; Elmohamady HULL (4-1-4-1): JAKUPOVIC Robertson 6; 6, Dawson 6, Ranocchia 6, 6 (Hernandez 58, N’Diaye 6; Markovic 5, Evandro 7; Niasse 6), Clucas 6 (Henriksen 58, 6), Grosicki Davies, Meyler, 5 (Maloney 82). Subs: Marshall, Premier League, Diomande. UP NEXT: Stoke (a), Saturday. Referee: Jonathan Moss 8. international YOUR TURN: Which England equaliser when scored Man City’s last-minute a 1-1 draw in they last hosted Hull in the League, February 2015? RAHEEM STERLING Two assists CLAUDIO BRAVO Soft goal