Ignore Torres at your own peril

DAVID SILVA has warned Manchester City to underestimate Fernando Torres at their peril at Wembley today.

Chelsea striker Torres, 29, has been branded a £50million flop since making the switch to Stamford Bridge from Liverpool back in January 2011.
But Spain star Silva — who has won two European Championships and the World Cup with Torres — is backing his pal to once again become one of the world’s most feared forwards.
Winning a shootout against his old Atletico Madrid strike partner Sergio Aguero in the FA Cup semi-final today would certainly be a step in the right direction. Silva, 27, has watched Torres during his slump and said: “It can happen to anyone. You’re not always 100 per cent, not always on top of your game.
“There are things that go through your head, things with your body, small injuries, you’re not feeling completely together.
“But I think he’s turning the corner, he seems to be back on top form and he will get back to the top where he was.
“It would be a mistake to underestimate him — if you do that he will hurt you. You saw it in the game against Sunderland when he came on in the second half and completely changed the game. So we can’t underestimate him at all.” While Torres appears to be recapturing his best form, City’s own big-money forward reminded everyone what he is capable of last Monday.
Aguero, 24, put his injury problems behind him and climbed off the bench to score a stunning winner in the 2-1 victory at Manchester United.
It could be that the Argentinian is drafted in to start today if Silva fails a fitness test on his hamstring injury this morning.
Silva said: “Sergio is an incredible striker. The goals he scores are not easy but he makes it easy for players like me who play behind him. The important thing is he is back for a big weekend. Win that one and we can try to win as many games as possible with him to the end of the season.”
Having Aguero back can only help City as they look to consolidate their position in second place in the table — and end the season with silverware for the third successive year.
Few players in England have a medal collection quite like Silva in recent years — with his three tournament wins with Spain alongside Premier League and FA Cup triumphs with City.
Yet he admits winning trophies is a habit that City need to try to maintain.
He said: “Winning a title always gives you belief to go and win more titles. And with luck this year we will win the Cup and there will be a repeat next year and we win the Premier League.
“It would be great to win a trophy every year but it’s important to start doing better in other competitions that we are in.”
Winning another trophy would also go a long way to helping manager Roberto Mancini hang on to his job. Silva was signed by the Italian and remains a big favourite of his — in fact, he is one player who has never been publicly criticised following a defeat. Mancini’s methods are not universally liked within the Etihad dressing room but Silva believes the players should be big enough to take any flak on the chin. The former Valencia man said: “Each to their own.
“If you are a conscientious player doing your best in training and games these things should not affect you. All managers are different — some criticise publicly, others internally.”
Like Silva, Mancini has become something of a magnet for trophies during his managerial career and the playmaker admits that earns his boss respect in the dressing room.
He said: “I don’t know who doesn’t give him credit but the players certainly do, as part of the success they have achieved. And that is something that has been done together.
“We’ve been building for the last three years — look at the titles that we have won in that time. So we’re not doing that badly. We are building a team and we will win many, many more titles.”
LIKELY LINE-UPS
CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Cech; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Luiz, Bertrand; Ramires, Mikel; Oscar, Mata, Hazard; Ba.
MAN CITY (4-2-3-1): Pantilimon; Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy; Y Toure, Barry; Milner, Tevez, Nasri; Aguero.