May 7, 2024
Yaya Toure says he always knew Pep Guardiola would need him
Guardiola revealed he would continue to use the Ivorian midfielder following his display
YAYA Toure scored both of Manchester City’s goals at Crystal Palace on Saturday, and claimed he always believed he’d be back in Pep Guardiola’s plans.
The Ivorian midfielder said: ‘I was prepared mentally and I knew that one day my manager would need me. You must always stay professional.’
It was his first domestic game of the season after Guardiola froze him out until he received an apology for the jibes by Toure’s agent Dimitri Seluk. Toure, who apologised at the start of the month, added: ‘I am professional, I always want to improve my game. For me, to be honest, I just want to help the team.’
He had been frozen out after his agent Dimitri Seluk aimed jibes at manager Pep Guardiola
Yaya Toure scored both of Manchester City’s goals at Crystal Palace on Saturday, and claimed he always believed he’d be back in Pep Guardiola’s plans.
The Ivorian midfielder said: ‘I was prepared mentally and I knew that one day my manager would need me. You must always stay professional.’
It was his first domestic game of the season after Guardiola froze him out until he received an apology for the jibes by Toure’s agent Dimitri Seluk. Toure, who apologised at the start of the month, added: ‘I am professional, I always want to improve my game. For me, to be honest, I just want to help the team.
Toure was applauded into the Selhurst Park dressing-room by his team-mates and said: ‘My team-mates have always been brilliant with me, always supportive. They are very important to me.’
Guardiola says he will now count on Toure after handing him his return.
‘I would say his performance is not my decision, it’s about his quality. Yaya was, for the last two months, training really well. His physical condition is better than ever. I’m so happy for him and his family. He’s now a real part of the team and can help us achieve our targets.
‘We need this kind of player. The Premier League, Champions League and cups are so demanding.
Guardiola expects to have John Stones and Ilkay Gundogan available for the Champions League clash against Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday after the pair were rested on Saturday.
Vincent Kompany, making only his second Premier League start of the season was forced off early with concussion following a collision with Claudio Bravo.
Guardiola said: ‘You have to be careful with head injuries. Hopefully it won’t be anything serious.’
Palace manager Alan Pardew said his team were the makers of their own downfall on Saturday, saying: ‘This Premier League is unforgiving. We made a couple of errors today and were punished for it.
‘It was a game very much in the balance, and could have gone our way today. But it didn’t.’
