There is a clear understanding and mutual respect between Guardiola and Silva, one of the key reasons why he was handed the armband at the start of this season following the departure of De Bruyne.
Guardiola professed his “love” for Silva earlier this season, saying he had a “weakness” for the 31-year-old and enthusing how the player was “always there” even during the lows of last season when the team finished third in the Premier League and failed to win a major trophy for the first time in nearly a decade.
Silva told Sport in December that Guardiola has been a “massive” influence on his career and that his boss has a “special affection for me” having played under him for nine years and enjoyed a trophy-laden era.
The Portuguese midfielder is one short of 450 City appearances in all competitions and all of those have come under Guardiola – no player has been selected more times by the ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager.
He has managed only three goals and five assists this season but it is his leadership qualities and reliability that Guardiola rates so highly in Silva, who has played in more Premier League games than any City player this season.
His hardworking nature has seen Silva clock up a team-high 304.9km distance travelled during those games, while his carrying ability has allowed him to notch a total of 5,094m with the ball at his feet, a number unmatched by any team-mate.
Of top-flight players who have played more than 1,200 minutes this season, only four average more distance covered per 90 minutes than Silva’s 12.17km.
Even when Silva was sent off for a deliberate foul against Real Madrid in the Champions League, which effectively ended any hope of a comeback, Guardiola did not attach blame to the player for the action, saying it was “instinctive”.
Former City midfielder Michael Brown said Silva is a “brilliant player” and called his performance against Arsenal last Sunday “infectious, clever and cute”.
He added on City TV: “He comes alive – when it feels dead he makes things happen. Bernardo doesn’t always do something special but he is just there, he is a team player and someone you would always pick.
“He is someone who says, ‘I’ll drop in at left-back, I’ll go on the right and create problems later on’. He has a bit of everything to his game and is unselfish. That is what is different, he is not necessarily a match-winner.”
