Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SILVA BULLET
We have been here before, we can handle the pressure... and we’ll fight to the end
DAVID SILVA has been here before.
In 2012 and 2014, the little Spaniard was part of the Manchester City team that held their nerve when the title race went to the wire.
He has no doubts they can do it again.
As Pep Guardiola’s men have started to crank up the pressure on Liverpool at the top of the Premier League, the noise coming out of Anfield has resembled that of a widening crack.
Victories over Everton and Huddersfield have catapulted the reigning champions back into a contest that had looked over when they lost at Newcastle at the end of last month.
And for Silva it has evoked memories of his first two title successes with City.
“I think that since I arrived, every time we have had this sort of pressure of having to fight for the Premier League trophy until the end, the team has always worked well. Hopefully, this season we’ll be able to do it again.
“We have a squad full of great players with a lot of quality, a lot of young players and a lot of experienced ones too.
“I think we have a good mix and balance between youth and experience and that is going to be very useful.
“We are happy because we are in a good position – and we are going to fight until the end.”
Silva, who has made a case to be remembered as City’s greatest-ever player during nine trophy-laden seasons at the Etihad, is bidding for his fourth title.
Guardiola’s side shattered a host of Premier League records as they posted 100 points last season. But the likes of Silva, Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany can also lean on lessons they learned under Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini
Seven years ago, City trailed Manchester United by eight points with six games to go – but lifted the title on goal difference when Aguero scored against QPR with the last kick of the season (below).
Two years later, Steven Gerrard’s slip saw Liverpool collapse with three games to go and City came through to finish top again.
The credentials of Guardiola’s side will be put to the test today when they face Chelsea at the Etihad.
But Silva said: “Of course we can do it – but we need to be in the position of fighting for the title to be able to achieve it again. I think we have shown everyone that over the last two games, while Liverpool have dropped points. “Hopefully, we will be able to surpass them before the end of the season. “Obviously the game against Chelsea is going to be really important. They are a very good team and we need to beat them if we want to become champions. “But the experience of many years and many games in the Premier League helps you a lot in moments like this. “Because you have experienced it before, you know exactly what can happen.” City were first to blink in the title race when they lost 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in December.
And in two weeks’ time they will meet Maurizio Sarri’s side again, in the Carabao Cup final.
Silva added: “Hopefully we will manage to control the game and score from the chances we create.
“We learned a lesson from the game at Chelsea. We controlled the first half, created chances, but we didn’t score. Then, with their first chance, they scored. That’s part of football and that can happen.
“The games against Chelsea are very tactical and I am sure it’s going to be like that again.”