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David Silva is still amazing Premier League rivals eight years after he moved to England.

The playmaker with a wand of a left foot is considered one of Manchester City's finest ever players after season after season of mesmerising defenders.

Pep Guardiola's arrival at the Etihad has seen a shift in the way Silva has been used, with the coach pulling him further back to sit alongside Kevin De Bruyne in the centre of the pitch.

It gives both players more room and time to dictate the game, a tactic that paid off handsomely last season as the pair managed 27 assists between them in the record-breaking title win.

For Silva, successfully used out wide in Spain's World Cup qualifying campaign, it is another string to his bow and did not go unnoticed by City's rivals.

Working out a plan to stop the midfielder was difficult enough before he teamed up with such an innovative coach.

“Guardiola has Silva playing as an interior midfielder in a 4-3-3 setup,” a Chelsea insider told the Guardian .

“We are all astonished at Silva’s physical response. Playing on the inside he needs to cover much more ground than as the attacking midfielder. He’s doing a superb job.

"He has proven that he has the stamina of a long-distance runner. After running for 90 minutes he still has the mental spark to make the right decisions.”

Guardiola's reasoning for putting Silva into his new position is simple. The City coach wants to dominate the middle of the pitch and his counter-attacking relies on the ball moving through that area.

He needs players in that role that are capable of keeping possession however much pressure they are put under by opposition sides, and the 32-year-old is one of the best in the business.

While Silva will remain a key player for City next season, there are plans to give him more rest.

“Next season, David maybe will not play every game, that's why the squad has to be big," said Guardiola.

“He's played more due to his absence, more energy in the legs. The decisions are taken day by day and it is what it is.”

However, any clubs hoping for a respite should pause before getting the champagne out. Bernardo Silva was signed last year from Monaco as the long-term replacement for his namesake and had an encouraging first season in the Premier League.

With Riyad Mahrez soon to be added to City's squad, Bernardo could feature more centrally for the Blues when Silva is given a rest.