David: FA Cup could be our last chance of Silvaware

EYES ON THE PRIZE ... David Silva wants to get his hands on the FA Cup

DAVID SILVA has warned Manchester City not to become the latest casualties of an FA Cup giant-killing tomorrow.

The 2011 winners host Championship strugglers Barnsley in a quarter-final at the Etihad.

City are aware that Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool have already been kicked out by lower-league opposition.

The FA Cup represents City’s best chance to win a trophy as the prospects of pegging back
Manchester United’s 12-point lead in the league look increasingly slim.

Barnsley reached the semi-finals five years ago — taking the scalps of Liverpool and Chelsea along the way — and Silva believes they should not be taken lightly.

The Spanish playmaker, 27, said: “We are only one game away from going back to Wembley but we still have work to do. It’s important that we win this game.

“The league is very difficult now but we can reach the FA Cup final so we have to focus.

“On paper, Barnsley are a small team but they are in the quarter-final because they deserve
to be, so we will have to be very cautious.”

Silva admits cup shocks are much more common in England than back home in Spain — and does not want to find out what it feels like to be on the wrong end of one.

He said: “The Copa del Rey is like the FA Cup — but not as interesting. In Spain, it is more
difficult for the smaller teams to rise to the top.

“But we have seen that in England smaller teams can get to the finals.”
Wembley became almost a second home for City in 2011 as they made three trips for the FA
Cup semi-final, final and Community Shield in the space of four months.
Silva added: “Wembley is an amazing place and I’ve been lucky enough to play there. Now I want to get to another final there.”

Defender Kolo Toure is likely to get the nod against the Tykes to allow skipper Vincent
Kompany more time to recover from a calf injury.

City have kept three consecutive clean sheets with 31- year-old Toure in the side.
The Ivory Coast ace is out of contract in the summer.

Silva said: “Kolo is doing really well. No one is scoring against us when he plays.”