Toure puts case for the defence

KOLO Toure maintains Manchester City can build their Barclays Premier League title challenge on defensive performances.

Big–spending City, who look set to complete the £27million signing of Edin Dzeko from Wolfsburg after the striker completed his medical, were lambasted for a lack of ambition at Arsenal, where they failed to muster a single shot on target.

City boss Roberto Mancini, who was without forward duo David Silva and Mario Balotelli because of injury, maintained he had no issue with the chants of “boring” directed at his team by sections of the home crowd.

Mancini’s team remain second in the table and central defender Toure — part of the Arsenal ‘Invincibles’, who won the title in 2003–04 by becoming the first team to complete a 38–match league programme undefeated — insists the battling draw shows City’s title credentials are based upon solid foundations.

“Chelsea came here and lost. We left with a point,” said the Ivory Coast international.

“Arsenal are playing really well at the moment so a draw on their ground is a good result.

“It is very important to have a strong defence if you are challenging for major honours. Strikers can win you games, but defenders win you titles.”

City’s medical staff will assess the state of the players after four games in 10 days before Mancini finalises his line–up for Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Leicester City.