David Silva has long been hailed as one of the very best attacking midfielders in the Premier League. A long-term part of the Manchester City project, the Spaniard has helped the Citizens during their rise to the top of the English game, winning two Premier League crowns as well as the FA Cup and League Cup (x2). But at 31, some have suggested that he’s slowing down now and may not be a part of Pep Guardiola’s plans for seasons to come.[ad_pod id='now-tv' align='centre']However, he was truly excellent as his Man City side overcame Bournemouth last night, rolling back the years to put in a performance that summed up why the Iberian star is such a joy to watch, as the Etihad Stadium outfit secured a win that moved them to within eight points of leaders Chelsea.

Although he didn’t directly contribute to the either of Man City’s goals, Silva’s stats from his evening on the Dorset coast are excellent:

Starting with the headline-grabbers, Silva had more touches of the ball (113) and played more passes (87) than any other player on the pitch across the 90 minutes and made a staggering 89% of his passes stick. On top of that, he weighed in defensively with five clearances (only John Stones and Tyrone Mings made more), while he also played two key passes and had two shots at the Cherries’ goal.

An experienced player with a big-game mindset, Silva could be vital as Guardiola’s men aim to hunt down Chelsea.

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