The 33-year-old opened the scoring with a deft chip at the Hong Kong Stadium and was at the heart of much of City’s best play in the 6-1 victory.
It was a fine display from a player approaching the latter stage of his career, but the goal and his overall performance were a reminder of how his subtle artistry remains crucial to the potent City attack.
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And the boss was particularly impressed.
“It was good,” said Guardiola when asked about Silva’s performance.
“In the small spaces David moves as good as anyone else.
“It was really good for him, for everybody. There are many things still to improve.
“Some individuals need to make a step forward but in general it was good.”
In the third game of pre-season the sharpness of our passing was evidence the players are getting closer to reaching the level required for the start of the new campaign.
Humidity was again a factor, but ahead of the Community Shield against Liverpool, Guardiola was pleased with the challenge the opposition and the conditions provided.
“Every day we feel better,” he added.
“It was a nice test. We played well, really well in some moments.
“I think we played good in the second half when the young players came on. They played at a high level so it was a nice game in difficult conditions.
“Tomorrow we’ll rest and make a good recovery. Then we’ll travel to Tokyo and do a light training session to prepare for Yokohama.”
