Manchester City playmaker David Silva has backed team-mate Jack Rodwell to bounce back from his latest injury setback.
Rodwell faces another month on the sidelines after limping out of Monday's Barclays Premier League win at Aston Villa with yet another hamstring problem. The 21-year-old, whose City career since a £12million summer move from Everton is yet to take off, has a history of such injuries and only returned to action in January after a three-month lay-off.
Spain World Cup winner Silva said: "It's a great shame he is injured again after getting back into the team and playing in the last two games."
He added: "I have never been injured in the same way, but I know what it's like to have an injury where you can't see the end of the tunnel.
"Jack needs to know that in the end you get there, you just have to keep walking until you start to see the light again.
"He has worked really really hard already, but he needs to keep concentrating, and he will be back with us."
Manager Roberto Mancini was expected to give fitness updates on two other injured players on Friday morning as he met media to preview this weekend's FA Cup quarter-final against Barnsley.
Despite being close to a return on a couple of occasions, captain Vincent Kompany has now missed six games with a calf injury and it remains uncertain whether he will feature against the Tykes at the Etihad Stadium.
Striker Sergio Aguero pulled out of the Villa Park game with a knee problem and has tweeted pictures of himself undergoing treatment. He has not indicated how long he might be out but said he is "leaving this injury behind slowly but steadily".
Victory on Saturday would take City back to Wembley and a step closer to repeating their 2011 FA Cup success.
Source: PA
