Manchester City have enjoyed near-unprecedented success in the English game over the past 13 or so years.
Obviously the Manchester City team has changed considerably since the class of 2010/11 ended a 35-year trophy drought by winning the FA Cup.
Many City players have entered the history books since then, either as legends worthy of a statue outside the Etihad to cult heroes the streets won’t forget.
Joe Hart, one of City’s stars from the 2010s, was asked to put together a XI between players who won the title in 2011/12 and those from the current crop.
One of the more difficult choices he had to make was between David Silva and Phil Foden.
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
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Joe Hart picks David Silva over Phil Foden
Hart, speaking on Sportbible’s TikTok channel, admitted “it’s not nice” having to pick between two players of such high calibre.
However, the former City keeper opted to stay “loyal” to his former teammate, and went with Silva.
It was a running theme for Hart, whose XI was composed almost entirely of players from the class of 2011/12.
The only current player who made the cut was Kevin De Bruyne, who Hart picked over Yaya Toure.
David Silva’s Manchester City career
Silva joined City from Valencia back in 2010 – shortly after winning the World Cup with Spain – for a fee of around £24million.
By the time he left the Etihad Stadium in 2020, he had done enough to warrant a statue of him outside the ground.
Silva’s 10-year stint at City saw him win four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups and three Community Shields.
He clocked up 436 competitive appearances for the Citizens, along with 77 goals and a staggering 129 assists.
Silva also won Euro 2008 and Euro 2012 with Spain, making it a clean sweep of international trophies for La Roja during that period.
“David Silva was probably City’s first world-class player in my lifetime,” Gary Neville previously told Skuy Sports.
“When he and Sergio Aguero came from Spain, I thought they would last two or three years.
“You could see the talent, but I did not think they would commit to the city like they have done. They are absolute professionals and what they have achieved on the pitch is outstanding.
“I think back to three seasons ago and that first Pep Guardiola title win.
“It was Silva and Kevin De Bruyne in front of Fernandinho – I knew they could play; I did not know those two could defend. The work ethic that season, it took my thinking to another level.”