Silva ankle still not right – Pellegrini

Manchester City playmaker David Silva is continuing to play through the pain of a persistent ankle problem.

Spain international Silva was restricted to one Premier League start in three months earlier in the campaign due to the complaint.

The 30-year-old has since struggled for consistency, mirroring City’s badly faltering Premier League title bid.

Manuel Pellegrini’s team have not won back-to-back league matches since October and passed up their latest opportunity to do so when they were held to a 0-0 draw by struggling Norwich City on Monday.

Pellegrini revealed Silva’s condition is being constantly monitored by himself and the club’s medical staff, but that the former Valencia man is always eager to play, despite discomfort.

“We are always talking with the doctor and David,” Pellegrini said.

“He feels some pain in his ankle, but he says that he can play.

“But I don’t want to focus that we could not score goals [against Norwich] because David has a problem in his ankle because last game we scored four against Aston Villa.”

Silva was on the scoresheet when City beat Dynamo Kiev 3-1 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, making Pellegrini’s men strong favourites to reach the quarter-finals for the first time when the teams meet in Manchester on Tuesday.

But, despite a nine-point deficit to Leicester City ahead of the Premier League leaders’ match against Newcastle United, Pellegrini insists he will not prioritise his European bid over domestic fixtures.

“No, because it’s not our mentality,” he said. “We are not giving priority to one championship over another one. [They are] two different competitions.

“It’s important to try to continue in Champions League, winning on Tuesday and arrive to the next stage, but that doesn’t mean we are not going to continue fighting in the Premier League.”

City’s next Premier League match comes in Sunday’s Manchester derby against United at the Etihad Stadium.