Guardiola is so lucky to have Silva at City

PEP Guardiola claims Manchester City's outstanding playmaker David Silva can still get better.

Spain midfielder Silva clocked up the 300th appearance of a superb City career in the Premier League victory over Hull.

The 31-year-old renowned for his vision and incisive passing has won five trophies since joining City in a £26million move from Valencia in 2010.

Many regard him as one of the greatest players in the club's history and manager Guardiola, who worked with two other fine midfielders in Xavi and Andres Iniesta at Barcelona, thinks the best is yet to come.

Guardiola said: "When I say I'm a lucky guy, it's because I was with Xavi, Iniesta and now with Silva. All three are outstanding players.

"Silva impresses me every day. To make 300 games is not easy. It's just a big congratulations to him. He's been a big success and hopefully he can play lots more games here in Manchester.

"Hopefully we can make him become a better player. I would like to feel that what he has done is not enough, and he can believe he can do better for his own career."

To become an even greater player, Guardiola recognises Silva, who also has 111 international caps, probably needs to add more goals to his game.

For all his attacking brilliance, the man nicknamed 'Merlin' has a relatively underwhelming goalscoring record with just 49 City strikes to his name.

However, Guardiola, who won two Champions League and three LaLiga titles while in charge at Barcelona, believes Silva would have fitted perfectly into that side with the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and Lionel Messi.

"He's such a very special player," added boss Guardiola.

A move to the Nou Camp never materialised, however, because Silva was "so expensive".