Ben Davies earns £249,600 less than Yaya every week!

Davies admitted: “It’s been an incredible season for me so far.

“And every time I get out on the pitch I feel like I am learning something new.

“I think being thrown in at the deep end like I have could be the best way for me to learn.

“Because if you don’t learn from your mistakes at this level, you will get found out quickly.”

Today, at the Etihad, left-back Davies will find himself under pressure from the likes of £220,000-a-week Carlos Tevez — not to mention the rest of a City side where there probably will not be a single player earning less than £100,000 a week.

But Swans manager Laudrup has every faith in Davies’ ability to rise to the occasion at the home of the champions.

Laudrup himself was signed by Italian giants Juventus when he was only 19.

But those early years were far from smooth for the legendary Danish striker — so the manager is also well aware that he has to guide Davies carefully.

Laudrup said: “Things can move quickly in football.

“Ben is a good lad and he’ll keep his feet on the ground and won’t get carried away with it.”

Taylor, who could be out for the whole season, has also been mightily impressed by his understudy as he watches from the sidelines.

He said: “I think for someone like Ben it would be easier to learn your trade lower down the leagues and build yourself up and gain experience.

“But he has been thrown in at the deep end and has done very, very well.

“I spoke to him soon after my injury and told him that this is his chance.

“I said he would have good and bad games, good press and bad press.

“But I told him just to take it with a pinch of salt and concentrate on himself.

“He has a mature approach, which helps.”

Davies, though, is not totally on the breadline.

He does get a £1,000 appearance fee each time he plays in the first team.

And he hopes there are plenty more of those bonuses to come — as he prepares not only for City today but then a Capital One Cup trip to Liverpool and a home game against league leaders Chelsea next weekend.

He said: “We’ve got some big games coming up but they are games I’m really excited about.

“I think it’s the only way you can think about it when you are young and new to the Premier League.

“You can’t let yourself worry about the opposition and who you may be up against.”

There could not be a much bigger test for young Davies than the week he has stretching ahead of him.

If he manages to get through all that unscathed then Davies really will have come of age.

And for now he does not care how little cash goes into his account.

His only wish this afternoon at the Etihad is to put three points in the bank.

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