Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has described David Silva as "a special guy" who is key to the club's hopes of winning silverware on multiple fronts this season.
The 32-year-old holds claim to an impressive record that has seen him been on the winning side in each of the last 24 matches that he has featured in for the Citizens.
Silva has not played as much as Guardiola would have liked of late, having missed four games in December due to the premature birth of his son, but the Catalan coach acknowledges that his side are even better when the midfield maestro is present.
Asked about Silva's record, Guardiola told reporters at his weekly press conference: "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. But he knows, alone, he cannot do it. 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.
"But, we cannot deny, David has had seven or eight years here - that's a lot of games, a lot of experience. He has a huge personality to play, 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.
"When he is able to play, he plays. When it is not possible, because of his son, we rest him. The most important thing is his son in that moment, and his wife and family."
Spain international Silva has eight goals and five assists in the Premier League this term.
Daniel Lewis
