David Silva has revealed that the premature birth of his baby son is the reason behind his recent absence from the Manchester City team.

In the club's last six games, the Spaniard has featured just twice - most recently Tuesday evening's 3-1 victory over Watford.

Manager Pep Guardiola told reporters after the game that Silva has been given the choice to miss more matches due to personal reasons.

The man himself has now revealed that he has been spending time with his family due to the premature birth of his son Mateo, who is being medically treated.

Silva took to social media to write: "I want to thank all of you for the love and good wishes received in the last few weeks. Special thanks to my teammates, the manager and all at the club for understanding my situation.

"Also I want to share with you the birth of my son Mateo, who was born extremely preterm and is fighting day by day with the help of the medical team."

Silva helped City take a 15-point lead at the top of the Premier League table in last night's win over the Hornets.