Yaya special lights up a terrific away victory

The City kit boss and former Latics star writes every week for Chron Sport

I WAS absolutely shattered on Wednesday morning following City’s trip to the Czech Republic for the Plzen game.

The flight wasn’t too bad because it’s only two hours away, but it was half past four by the time I got in so it had been a long day for everyone.

It was a great result for the lads to go over and win 3-0.

To win away from home in any Champions League group stage fixture is a terrific result.

The home fans were really noisy, what with the chants, the singing and all the drums making a right old din.

As it happened the lads were a bit quiet in the first half, but once the first goal went in just after half-time that really settled everyone down.

Yaya Toure’s goal was fabulous. Once again he showed what an immense player he is, and just what he is capable of.

Sometimes he looks like he is drifting through a game, but all of a sudden he’ll produce a breath-taking run or a special goal like that one.

The Champions League win sets us up nicely for the derby on Sunday.

It’s come a little bit early in the season this time around.

While I’m not saying it’s as vital a game as it normally will be to our fans of course, it’s probably not quite as significant this time with it coming so early. I don’t know whether that’s a good thing or not.

It’s just that nothing will be decided one way or the other on Sunday because there’s so much more of the season to go.

It will still be a typically fast-moving and fast-flowing derby against United, but our win at Plzen will undoubtedly have given all the players some extra confidence and impetus.