SILVA Top ten moments
When the sublime Mr Silva brought the magic...
KEVIN De Bruyne and Yaya Toure are perhaps the two most eye-catching City players of all time.
But behind both of those Blues greats is a man whose repetitive excellence laid the foundations for a decade of success.
A man who has shied away from the limelight, on and off the field, but David Silva has had his moments – hundreds of them – and drawing up a short-list, even when you have been present for just about all of those moments, is a tough shout.
We sat down and came up with our top ten David Silva moments...
■ 10. REVERSE PASS FOR EDIN DZEKO (READING A, 2013).
Meaningless end-of-season game days after Roberto Mancini’s sacking. Silva lit it up by running right to left across the face of the 18-yard box, taking defenders with him, and then reversed a pass through the tiniest of gaps to free Dzeko to make it 2-0.
■ 9. TOUCH AND GOAL (QPR A, 2011)
Silva’s first touch has been a thing of rare beauty for ten years but here he cushioned a driven cross so perfectly that two defenders went the wrong way, the other rocked on his heels, and Silva crashed in his shot.
■ 8. OLD TRAFFORD GOAL (UNITED A, 2011)
Remembered more for his pass in the 6-1 game, but this interchange with Dzeko ended with a nutmeg finish on David De Gea which summed up City’s sheer impertinence that day.
■ 7. TWO CORNERS (UNITED H, QPR H, 2012)
Two moments really, but typical Silva. Everyone remembers Kompany’s derby header and Dzeko’s dramatic leveller, but both were perfectly provided by that magical left foot.
■ 6. SCREAMER (HULL A, 2014)
City’s title challenge seemed to be ebbing away as Vinent Kompany was sent off early on. But Silva took the game by the scruff of the neck, scoring a magnificent 30-yarder.
■ 5. CHERRY PICKER (BOURNEMOUTH H, 2020)
His most recent goal, testimony to his enduring quality, a free kick arced over and down to crash in off the bar.
■ 4.DRAG BACK (WIGAN H, 2011)
Faced by three Latics defenders, Silva showed his supreme balance and technique with a drag back and dink which had two crashing into each other, before swerving away from the third and delivering a perfect pass for Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick goal.
■ 3. VOLLEYED PASS (UNITED A, 2011)
Every City fan knows what ‘that Silva pass’ means as he instantly controlled a dropping ball and without wasting time by letting it bounce, sent it flashing into the path of Dzeko’s run for 6-1.
■ 2. FIRST LEAGUE GOAL (BLACKPOOL A, 2010)
Doubts were growing about the little fella’s suitability for English football. Then in the gloom at Bloomfield Road he feinted one way, shimmied the other, and curled a shot neatly into the far corner.
■ 1. BABY MATEO (HUDDERSFIELD H, 2018)
There was hardly a dry eye in the house as Silva carried out his baby son Mateo ahead of the game. The moment also signified the end of a period when he had balanced personal heartache with professional brilliance.