Being better than United is Toure’s finest achievement
Yaya Toure ranks deposing bitter rivals Manchester United as one of the greatest achievements during his time at Manchester City as he prepares to leave the Premier League champions.
City have won the league three times during the Ivorian’s eight-year stint at the club as well as four domestic cups and have become one of the highest-profile clubs in the game.
“When I came to City, we could not compare, they (United) had so many trophies, so many Champions League finals,” said the 34-year-old, who is leaving the Etihad at the end of the season.
“But that was the purpose — to come to City, to put United in the shadow, although that would be difficult. The semi-final was a big part of it.”
The semi-final referred to was in the FA Cup in 2011, a tense derby against United, which Toure settled with the only goal early in the second half. City went on to win the final and end a 35-year wait for a trophy, validating the vast expenditure lavished on the club since the takeover in 2008 by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
“United were in our way,” said the midfielder. “We had to remove them, they were such a force.
Toure was to play his final home game for City against
Brighton at the Etihad yesterday.
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho says United are “very positive” that former manager Alex Ferguson will recover from the brain haemorrhage that has left him in intensive care.
It is understood that surgery went well, with reports the Scot has been able to talk to family. United boss Mourinho declined to answer if he had been to visit Ferguson, saying he wanted to respect the family’s wish for privacy. “We are confident,” said Mourinho. “The club is positive, very positive.”
Ferguson has received messages of support from around the world over the past few days, and Mourinho said that can only lift United as they prepare for Thursday’s Premier League trip to West Ham United.