David Silva believes Carlos Tevez’s return will further boost Manchester City’s title push ahead of their English Premier League home game against Blackburn on Saturday.

City host relegation-threatened Rovers with the opportunity to move five points clear of EPL champions Manchester United, who travel to Norwich on Sunday.

Roberto Mancini’s team are top of the table despite being without Tevez for five months.

The Argentine forward, 28, fell out with Mancini after refusing to come off the bench in the 2-0 defeat at Bayern Munich in September and subsequently returned to South America without permission in November.

But, having come back to Manchester last week, he has apologised to Mancini and will be available for selection again once he can prove his fitness.

Mancini has only had Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko to pick from for much of the season.

Aguero has scored 20 goals in his first season in English football, Dzeko has chipped in with 17 and Balotelli has also contributed 12.

But Spanish midfielder Silva feels that having four top forwards for the run-in could give City an advantage.

“It is very important to have those four great strikers with us,” Silva said.

“It makes it easier for the people playing behind them. We all know they are great players and it could be an important factor to help us win the title race.

“Carlos has shown before he has great character and determination and, for someone like him, it would be easier to get into form than for others.

“Carlos is a great player and, if he is physically fit, he would be a very good player to have. But it will be down to the coaches and the technical team to decide who plays and who doesn’t.”

City face United in the third last Premier League game of the season as they look for a first league title since 1968.

United have fought hard to keep pace with their neighbours and Silva expects the race for the title to go the distance.

“If we get to that match on the same number of points, then it could be decisive, but we have to get there first – we have to win every match,” he said.

“To win the Premier League would be an incredible thing to achieve with Manchester City, and for the people of Manchester after so many years.”