Silva hopeful over injury

Silva hopeful over injury

Published Apr. 9, 2013 3:15 p.m. ET

Manchester City playmaker David Silva remains hopeful of being fit to face Chelsea in Sunday's FA Cup final at Wembley

The Spain international suffered a hamstring injury in the closing stages of City's derby win over Manchester United on Monday night.

Manager Roberto Mancini said after the game he thought it unlikely the 27-year-old would be able to play at the weekend but the player has not ruled himself out.

Silva said: "I have to have tests done tomorrow. We will see the results of the tests and we will see whether I can be ready to play on Sunday or not.

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"I felt it at the end and I still feeling it now. We will have to wait until tomorrow and see what the tests show. Hopefully I will be able to recover for Sunday.

"It would be a big blow for me. It is a game every player wants to play.

"Let's see what happens tomorrow but if I can't there are always team-mates that can play."

Despite their hard-earned 2-1 win over the Premier League leaders at Old Trafford, City's title hopes remain remote.

The champions still trail United by 12 points with just seven games remaining, but the performance underlined the team's enduring quality.

Mancini is convinced City will be good enough to recapture the crown next year and Silva is also a firm believer.

The former Valencia star said: "To achieve it again be we have to follow the line we showed last night.

"Also last year we had that little bit of luck at the right times, this year we haven't.

"We need to stick together to achieve it again but if we follow the line we followed last night we can do it.

"I feel we are growing every year as a club and we can see with the new contracts, we are growing, making a better team every year. I am confident we can win the title again next year."

Silva was speaking to media at the Etihad Stadium as part of a series of promotional activities for the Anfi Group, a luxury holiday company based on his native Gran Canaria.

Anfi is one of the largest employers in his hometown of Arguineguin and they run a number of resorts in the south of the island.

Silva said: "It is a great feeling for me to be here. I have seen how Anfi has grown and I am very proud."

As the season approaches its end, City have reflected on where the title might have slipped away.

Silva feels City have played well but have never been able to claw back the deficit after losing to a late United goal at the Etihad Stadium last December.

He said: "I feel I have had a good season like all my team-mates - I think the difference has been that goal.

"But we still have the FA Cup and I think we can win that."

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