Get the day's biggest City stories delivered straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Pep Guardiola has spent the best part of his first season in charge of Manchester City breaking up the old guard.

But David Silva ’s place was never in doubt.

While Joe Hart was shown the door, Yaya Toure frozen out and Sergio Aguero dropped - Silva remains as pivotal as ever.

After the Spanish playmaker’s latest masterclass in City’s 2-0 win against Sunderland , Guardiola revealed Silva was key to his arrival last summer.

“David is one of the bet players I ever trained in my life,” said the City manager. “I am a lucky guy to be with him. A lucky guy.

“One of the reasons why I came here was I was pleased to be with him.

“Because when I was in Spain, he was in Valencia and I was in Barcelona and I was, ‘Wow that guy is special’.

“But the thing that most impressed me when I met him was the fact how much of a competitor he is.

“With the skills he is there - you know him because he was a long time here - but how he is a winner. A winning mentality, he’s a fighter and runs so he’s a fantastic player.”

The stats back up Guardiola’s fulsome praise.

Since 2012-13 Silva has been involved in more goals than any other midfielder, with 55 assists and 33 goals.

His latest contribution was an inch perfect pass to unleash Leroy Sane for City’s second goal at the Stadium of Light.

His reward will be a meal with his manager, who singled him out for a lengthy debate on the pitch after the final whistle.

“He always plays good - not just with the ball,” he added. “But on the pitch I didn’t say that to him.

“We’re going to have dinner together.”

With Guardiola set to spend heavily again in the summer, Vincent Kompany is expected to be the latest member of City’s long-standing spine to be ushered to the periphery of squad at best.

But even with Ilkay Gundogan set to return from injury in the summer and Guardiola likely to add another midfielder - with Jack Wilshire among those linked - Silva’s position is not expected to be challenged.

In filling his attack with youthful runners like Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus, Guardiola has provided the legs to exploit his peerless vision.

In the absence of the injured Jesus, Aguero made his latest statement in attack, with his fifth goal in his last three games.

Guardiola said: “He played awesome against Monaco in terms of goals.

“But especially he was so involved in how we want to play. Not just in the box to score the goals and that was so important.

“His talent is there and the way he fights and how he tries to help us - that gave us a lot of energy.”