Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has described David Silva as an all-round midfielder after adding goals to his game in recent weeks.
The Spain international has found the net in narrow wins against West Ham United and Manchester United in the past fortnight, as well as netting a brace against Swansea City on Wednesday.
Guardiola has lauded Silva following his latest standout display, claiming that the 31-year-old is "an animal" when it comes to his predatory instincts in front of goal.
"He has everything, especially the huge competitor he is," he told BBC Sport. "Everybody talks about his skills, no doubt about that. One blind guy is able to see it.
"But you cannot imagine how [much of] a competitor he is. He looks like a stylish guy but, wow, he is an animal in terms of winning games.
"Always we spoke about that: 'You have to score goals, David. You have the ability to do that. You have to score goals to win games. You can do that.' In the last period, with the West Ham goal and Old Trafford and here, it is so important."
Silva has been involved in 13 Premier League goals in 17 games this season - already more than in the whole of 2016-17.
