Manchester City’s Yaya Toure Claims He Knew Pep Guardiola Would Need Him

Midfielder Yohan Cabaye said: “Can the manager turn this around?” Palace are now the worst performing team in the top four English divisions in 2016, and only remain outside the relegation zone by a single point.

Pardew flew out to the United States last week to meet club’s American investors David Blitzer and Josh Harris and returned insisting he had their full backing. While results like these in tough away grounds are always welcome, City know they must do much better if they are to wrestle first place off Liverpool and Chelsea.

Guardiola will now look at including the Ivorian in his selection for the latter stages of the Champions League if City make it through.

It made you wonder why they didn’t start with such gusto. He scored goals – lots of them, offered a presence on both sides of the pitch and on top of all that was a 100-passes a game man. Now we’re going to control him.

The exceptional talents on Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne on each of City’s wings led the response with which they sought to restore their lead, but to Palace’s credit they have reappeared after the global football break with a more organised defence.

The rest of City’s side can claim only to have put in a shift.

Kompany’s head was rocked back by a combination of his keeper’s right knee and thigh.

And after scoring two goals, including an 83rd minute victor, the City boss will be wondering what might have been if he gave Toure another chance earlier on in the season.

After the tribute the club tweeted: “Impeccably observed minute’s silence by both sets of fans and players in memory of the victims of the Croydon tram crash”. “John Stones didn’t play, so we need all the players to be fit to achieve our targets”. “I don’t think it’s the first Premier League game for him, so he has the experience to handle this kind of situation”.

After spending nearly the entire second period in their own half, Swansea eventually buckled when Coleman headed home in the 89th minute, although the draw means Everton have only won one of their past seven league games.

Wilfried Zaha, always lively for Palace, worked his way into the City defence and passed for sub Connor Wickham to power home a left footed shot. De Bruyne’s corner was admittedly clever, slid into the six-yard box with Palace braced to repel an aerial assault, but to leave Toure unmarked and alone in front of goal felt unforgivable.

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It was quite the triumphant return for Toure, who netted both his side’s goals in the 2-1 win and nearly single-handedly won them a very tough match.

A power failure led to a delay of several minutes at the start of the second half but there was no stopping Anichebe who produced a sharp left-foot shot after 62 minutes before thumping his third goal in two games to seal the win on 84.

“I belong to the field and I’m very happy to be in there”.

As in recent games, they could consider themselves unfortunate to lose, but that is a habit of which they will want to rid themselves soon. Meanwhile, Manchester City succumbed to yet another draw against Middlesbrough before the global break and will be desperate to go back on track in the race for the title.

“Maybe my prediction (on the title) is it will be like 2014”.