Toure de force

MANCHESTER City midfielder Yaya Toure vowed to defy his critics after helping the reigning champions to victory at Aston Villa.

Toure broke the deadlock with a crucial strike eight minutes from time, Sergio Aguero following upo for a 2–0 win.

The Ivorian’s long–range effort at Villa Park provided a timely reminder of his talents after a difficult start to the season.

Toure now intends to build momentum and keep City firing at the top end of the table: “I think it was amazing,” the 31 year old said of his decisive goal. “If it was not me it would have been Aguero or David Silva.

“The most important thing is for me to do my best. I’m keeping going: I play for a top side in Europe. And I’ll just do my best to win things again this season.

“It’s not so easy because you have to play every three days. I’m not a machine — I’m a man. But it’s important to keep things going.

“I have great team–mates around me, and the most important thing is to do my best.”

Toure’s poor form has come after a difficult summer in which he voiced criticisms of the club and lost his brother to cancer.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini insisted he never had any concerns about the player’s state of mind and was always sure the influential midfielder would rediscover his dynamism.

Pellegrini said: “Yaya is an experienced player. He can be criticised for one or two weeks, but I know perfectly the way he thinks and the way he can play, so I never had a problem about that.”