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| Silva (centre) has stuck by Pellegrini as Guardiola nears Man City move |
DAVID SILVA says speculation over Manuel Pellegrini's future will not undermine Manchester City's title bid.
Third-placed City go into their showdown with second-placed Arsenal at the Emirates on Monday with Pep Guardiola odds-on to replace Pellegrini in the summer after confirming yesterday that he will leave Bayern Munich.
City's hierarchy are keeping their own counsel on the matter but it is no secret they want Guardiola as their long-term manager.
But Silva insists the players remain right behind Pellegrini and cannot afford to dwell on what might happen in the summer.
"The talk about the manager is not unsettling," he said. "We look at it day-to-day and not what is going to happen in the future. We are all very happy with Manuel and it's not something that I look at.
"The game against Arsenal is an important one obviously because they are a direct rival but it is not going to define anything because there is still half a season left.
"With the players they have, Arsenal are clearly a very strong team. They have some injuries like us and when they get those players back they will be even stronger. They have everything they need.
"They got a fantastic result in the Champions League in Greece [against Olympiakos] and that proves they have good mentality and character.
"But you cannot discount Leicester because they are playing so well. They are confident and they just keep winning games."
Silva, 30, is frustrated that his own absences this season, coupled with those of Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany, have prevented City - who have lost four games already - from stamping their authority on what is looking the most open title race in years.
But he believes the best is yet to come and that City's experience of winning the title in tight finishes in 2012 and 2014 could prove significant.
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| Manuel Pellegrini in heated talks with Silva during one of Manchester City's Champions League games |
"It has been complicated with injuries key players and obviously you have a better chance if you have everyone available," he said. "We have been very unlucky with injuries but we can't use that as an excuse.
"We are seeing that unless you are 100 per cent you can lose a game. The intensity of the English game and the fact that every team is able to beat anyone else makes the league very, very interesting.
"But when you have experience of winning the title it gives you confidence because you know you have done it already."
Silva is particularly looking forward to the return of striker Aguero with whom he enjoys an instinctive understanding. "Aguero is a fantastic player and gives you things that others don't," he said. "He does different things and we have a good relationship on the pitch. At this level though it is easy to get an understanding with a striker.
"But the reality is that players get injured and, if we are to prove we are a great team, others have to come in and fulfil that role. We have done it before and we can do it again."
Silva has had a succession of ankle problems over the years and admits he has often played in pain. He has missed 13 games in all competitions this season - nine of them following a bad tackle by a Luxembourg player in a Euro 2016 qualifier in early October.
"I have to look after my ankles because both of them have been damaged over the years in football," he said. "But when I get on the pitch I don't think of what might happen to my ankles.
"In the past there have been games where I have had to have injections to play. Two years ago when we won the league, I played months with pain and had to have injections. But that's something you have to do for the team and have to do for the club. But at the moment they are fine."
That could spell bad news for the Gunners on Monday night.
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