Keeping Silva is a pressing matter for Guardiola to resolve

IT was a total distance of 13.7 kilometres. If you were running, that's the distance from Old Trafford to the Etihad Stadium and back, plus a little more.

- HARRY SIDDALL

It's also a quarter of a marathon but that's how far Bernardo Silva ran on January 3, 2019, when Liverpool visited Manchester for a potential title decider.

Sergio Aguero scored a typically brilliant opener, Leroy Sane was electric and Fernandinho cut almost everything out at source, but it was the performance of Silva that took all the plaudits - there was not a blade of glass the Portuguese international failed to cover that night.

His infectious energy is something totally unique to this City side. While Kevin de Bruyne's quality has seen him established as one of the world's best midfielders, Silva is one of the very best in another key department.