Toure Strikes Back At Critics After Dominant Display

Manuel Pellegrini’s side needed to make a statement of intent in their league opener and did so with the long-striding central midfielder Toure leaving the West Brom players floundering in his wake on numerous occasions with powerful runs and incisive passing.

Yaya Toure grabbed a brace and Vincent Kompany scored as Manchester City started their league season with a 3-0 win at West Brom.

“I am sure that we are going to see the same Yaya that we saw two seasons ago so I am very happy for the team and for him because he is a very important player for us”.

Pellegrini said he was happy with £49m man Raheem Sterling’s competitive debut, adding: “I thought he played well for 70 minutes”.

“We have something to prove – last season was below what we are used to”, the Belgian explained to MCFC.co.uk after the 3-0 win at the Hawthorns on Monday evening. “It was not his best season but he did not play so, so bad like everyone said”, Pellegrini continued. In those big games can he be trusted to play in the two?

He scored twice as many goals and created just one last season, having notched nine assists in 2013/14.

“I’m a competitor, I love playing football, I love my job and I don’t care what people are saying about me”. City cruised past the Baggies on Monday and they host Premier League title rivals Chelsea on Sunday.

Stats released by Opta-powered fantasy football game www.oulala.com show that the difference between the Toure of 2013-14 and the one of last season were miles apart, contrary to the Ivorian’s claims.

The 25-year-old agreed a four-year contract and signed for a fee West Brom say is around 12 million pounds.

Toure’s first goal came with a bit of luck as his low shot was deflected by Craig Dawson and trickled slowly over the line past a stationary Boaz Myhill in goal.

Pellegrini however masterminded a simple win over a West Brom team managed by Tony Pulis, whose teams are traditionally tough to break down, let alone stroll past.

“I’ve always been there”.

“I said to the players after the game I have to take responsibility for this one. I just want to get back to my best level”.