Toure of duty will hurt City after Yaya's masterclass rescues win for league
Micah Richards offered a simple explanation when asked how Manchester City will cope with Yaya Toure’s imminent exit to the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
‘We’ll miss Yaya when he goes - but we’ll just go and buy someone else,’ replied Richards with his tongue firmly in his cheek.
It’s certainly an option. Sheikh Mansour’s open chequebook means Roberto Mancini could hit the January sales to find a short-term replacement for City’s midfield enforcer.
But finding a stand-in for a player who has been the driving force behind City’s rapid emergence is easier said than done.
If Ivory Coast reach the Africa Cup of Nations final, Mancini will be without Toure for key Premier League clashes against Tottenham, Everton, Fulham and Aston Villa.
Toure, 28, underlined his importance to City’s title challenge on Saturday, scoring the winner in an epic 3-2 win over Queens Park Rangers.
But it was not just the goal that typified just how influential the former Barcelona man has become.
When QPR skipper Joey Barton had the audacity to make a surge down the outside of Toure on Saturday, the City man effortlessly brushed his midfield rival aside with minimal fuss. That moment encapsulated what Toure is all about before he went on to drag his below-par side from what was one of their worst 45 minutes of the season at Loftus Road to a vital victory.
‘He has been a quality player for us,’ admits Richards.
‘But we have got midfielders, we’ve got [Samir] Nasri, who didn’t play today. [Sergio] Aguero can drop back and [David] Silva can play in that role.
‘So we have got players who can cope in that position. But he will be a big miss, but I am sure we can cope with it.
‘We’ve got players like [Nigel] de Jong that can come in and sit for us and push people forward. We’ll miss Yaya but we have got people who can come in and do a job.’
Whether Richards’ assumption is true remains to be seen. But for the moment the City defender is just enjoying the ride. The weekend win over Neil Warnock’s side had all the traits of a championship winning side.
Head and shoulders: Toure heads home City's winning goal at Loftus Road
There was class in abundance. Edin Dzeko and Silva’s excellent strikes were testament to that. But Mancini’s side showed they have the intestinal fortitude of champions after falling behind and being pegged back 2-2 before Toure’s winner.
‘Sometimes, I just watch and admire. For example, David Silva is one of my favourite players - some of the stuff he does is amazing,’ said Richards. ‘I am just glad to be in this team and it was a great honour to lead out a team of such stars and quality players.
‘When you are up against Silva, Aguero, Yaya Toure, [Mario] Balotelli and the rest of them, it is hard in training.
‘But It kind of makes you better as a player facing them every day. You have got to concentrate all the time. Now and then I’ll even give them a crack - even Balotelli.
He added: ‘Last season we finished joint second with Chelsea which is a massive achievement. Hopefully we can build on it.
‘We are still top of the league, five points clear and it sort of gives us confidence. The thing about Man City is we have got such a big squad. There were five changes from the game in Villareal in the week. It can be frustrating being left out but if you want to be part of the squad you have to put up with it.
‘This is a team that is going places and if you want to be part of it you have just got to grin and bear it.’
QPR striker Jay Bothroyd agrees: ‘We definitely played against the champions. You just have to look at their bench - God knows how much it cost. They’ve got a world class squad.
‘What make City the best side? The best players. But, of course, it’s more than ability, names don’t make a great team, it’s the work ethic and the ability.
‘They’ve got that in abundance. They hammered United, they’ve been in top form all season, they’re scoring goals freely and generally keep it tight at the back.
‘They’ve got some big strong players. A lot of experienced professionals who are strong and hungry, they want to win something.’