Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has revealed that David Silva has been playing through ankle pain this season.

The Spaniard spent seven weeks on the treatment table earlier in the campaign with ankle issues that have been troubling him for the past few seasons.

The playmaker is back in City's lineup, but Pellegrini has claimed that the 30-year-old is still struggling.

"David is coming back from a long, I can't say an injury, because it's a pain in his ankle," The Mirror quotes Pellegrini as saying.

"He's trying to improve as much as he can, but he continues to play when he is not 100% comfortable. He did it well against Aston Villa and I hope if he is 100% he will continue improving, but he is still feeling the pain."

City will take on Norwich City at Carrow Road in the Premier League this weekend.