David Silva has been Manchester City’s most creative influence for several years and now has as many Premier League assists as Manchester United legend David Beckham.
The Spanish schemer has proved to be one of the finest pieces of business carried out by the big-spending Blues.
He was snapped up from Valencia in 2010 and has been a model of consistency throughout his time in England.
Silva has made City tick in the middle of the park and teed up team-mates to find the target with remarkable regularity.
Riyad Mahrez is the latest to have benefitted from his ability to sniff out a chance.
During a meeting with Bournemouth on Saturday, Silva poked the ball into the path of a colleague in space.
With Mahrez finding the back of the net, title-chasing City were able to take control of a testing encounter that had seen them lose Kevin De Bruyne and John Stones to injury.
Silva has also moved to 80 Premier League assists, with that return drawing him level with former England captain Beckham.
80 - David Silva has provided 80 Premier League assists - the joint-eighth best tally in the competition (level with David Beckham). Orchestrator.
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Many of Beckham’s assists during a trophy-laden spell at United came from a role on the right wing.
Silva operates more centrally and is able to dictate proceedings as a result.
He is currently chasing down a fourth Premier League title, to go with three Carabao Cup triumphs and an FA Cup success.
Pep Guardiola will be looking to the World Cup winner to continue making a telling contribution in pursuit of more major prizes.
As things stand, he sits eighth on the all-time Premier League assist chart.
He is two behind former team-mate and current Liverpool star James Milner and 12 adrift of Reds icon Steven Gerrard.
Arsenal great Dennis Bergkamp is fifth on the list with 94, while four men have passed the century mark.
Ryan Giggs leads the way on 162, with Cesc Fabregas boasting 111 assists, Wayne Rooney 103 and Frank Lampard 102.
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