Crystal Palace 1 Manchester City 2
Palace: Wickham (66')
Man City: Toure (39', 83')
Man of the match: Yaya Toure (Manchester City)
On the face of it, the selection of a seasoned international who has won five domestic titles and two Uefa Champions Leagues during a glittering club career in European football should not really come as much of a surprise.
The sight of Yaya Toure in Manchester City’s starting line-up for Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace certainly raised a few eyebrows, though, with the Ivorian involved in the Premier League for the first time since Pep Guardiola took the reins at the Etihad Stadium in the summer.
The City manager had previously declared that Toure would not be included in the team until he distanced himself from critical comments made by his outspoken agent Dimitri Seluk, who claimed that his client had been humiliated by being left out of the team’s 25-man Champions League squad.
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While there was a lingering suspicion that Guardiola was using the episode as an excuse to exclude a player who did not seem a natural fit for his favoured style of play — at least not at his current age of 33 — the midfielder’s decision to apologise earlier this month paved the way for his return.
It proved to be an inspired decision from Guardiola. Toure scored both goals as City edged out Alan Pardew’s men and moved level on points with Liverpool at the top of the table.
This was a much-needed victory for the visitors, who had dropped points in four of their last five encounters in the Premier League. City were not at their scintillating best at Selhurst Park — they have produced better displays and failed to win at times in recent weeks — but it was essential that they got back to winning ways after the international break.
Both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances for much of the opening half, although City did work the ball into some promising positions through the trickery of Raheem Sterling and the elusiveness of Kevin De Bruyne.
Toure played deeper than the Belgium international and alongside Fernandinho in a midfield three, where his authoritative passing and all-round composure aided City’s build-up play.
The fact that he was allowed plenty of time in possession certainly helped — Palace’s central midfielders, Yohan Cabaye and James McArthur, preferred to stand off and ensure their side retained a compact defensive shape — but Toure’s ability on the ball was nevertheless evident.
There was plenty of skill involved in his first goal, too, the former Barcelona man playing a neat one-two with Nolito before rifling a shot into the roof of the net six minutes before the break.
Palace fought their way back into the game in the second period, Connor Wickham firing home an equaliser not long after the hour-mark, but Toure edged City back in front in the closing stages.
De Bruyne’s low corner from the right was dummied by substitute David Silva at the near post, allowing Toure to apply the finishing touch from five yards out.
“I would not say that his performance was down to my decision [to play him],” Guardiola said in his post-match press conference. “It was about his quality.
“Yaya’s trained really well; his physical condition is better than ever. I’m so happy for him. He’s now a real part of the team.”
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