The Spanish playmaker scored in each half during City’s 2-0 win over Stoke and the boss couldn’t have been happier with Silva’s performance or the team’s overall display.
“I am very pleased for David because he’s scored a lot of important goals for us this season,” said Pep.
“He controlled the tempo tonight. Normally, people talk about his skills and his technical ability and with those attributes, say he cannot be aggressive or a competitor – but believe me, he has everything.”
The Blues now need just three more wins from the last eight games to be crowned champions and the City boss admitted his team deserve nothing less for their hard work this season.
“We are very close now - 81 is a lot of points, we’ve lost just one game and we made a solid performance here tonight.
“It is always so complicated to win here, but we didn’t concede, and we didn’t allow Stoke any clear chances.
“I think this was better than the win over Arsenal because we were solid throughout and controlled the game. It was a little tight in the first half but a good performance overall.
“Now we have almost three weeks before our next game and we are going to Abu Dhabi to train in different conditions to change our habits a little bit.
“We will be together, and we will stay strong and then return for the finish of the season.”
When asked about the possibility of being confirmed as champions with a win in next month’s Manchester derby, Pep added: “To be champions is complicated. Our legacy is not big in terms of winning many titles, that’s why to move up, we have to win the most prestigious title in England.
“That is so, so important - but right now it’s time to relax and rest. The players will then go to their international teams and we return and go to Goodison Park where we know how hard it has been for us to win over the last few years.
“After that, it doesn’t matter who we are champions against. After we play Everton, we will be focusing on the Champions League quarter-final.
“We will see the draw next Friday, but our immediate target is Everton, then the Champions League. If we play as we have today, then we will win the Premier League sooner or later.”
