Manchester City can thrive during Yaya Toure’s absence for African Cup of Nations

Premier League champions have achieved remarkable results without Ivorian, including beating Bayern Munich and Roma in the Uefa Champions League, writes Jonathan Wilson

Yaya Toure, centre, of Manchester City celebrates his goal with teammates during the Premier League match against Swansea City at Etihad Stadium on November 22, 2014, in Manchester, England. Alex LiveShow more

Given the amount of criticism directed at Yaya Toure this season, it comes as something of a surprise to realise that Manchester City have not won a Premier League game without him since they beat West Bromwich Albion 3-1 in April.

If Ivory Coast go all the way at the African Cup of Nations, which starts on Saturday in Equatorial Guinea, they could be without him until the home match against Newcastle United on February 21, a run that includes an away game against league leaders Chelsea and Sunday's fixture at home to Arsenal.

Toure was poor enough at the start of the season for some to suggest he was sulking at having failed to secure a move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, although Manuel Pellegrini suggested he was still recovering after the death of his brother in May.

His form has recovered during the past couple of months as City won seven matches in a row to erase Chelsea’s eight-point lead over them.

Chelsea went ahead again last Saturday as City were held at Everton – when Toure did not play. He also missed the 2-2 draw against Burnley – the only other match in the last 11 that City have failed to win.

At his best, the inspiration that Toure provides is obvious, and he is remarkably adept at scoring goals from midfield, but there is no reason City should not be able to cope without him.

After all, probably their most striking results of the season, the wins over Bayern Munich and away to Roma in the Uefa Champions League, came with Toure suspended.

Fernando perhaps has not settled as City would have liked and Fernandinho's form this season has not been as good as it was last, but, with those two, plus Frank Lampard and James Milner, City should have more than enough cover – certainly for tomorrow and an Arsenal side still missing Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere.

Arsenal were dominant in beating Stoke City last Sunday and, with Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil returning to fitness and Alexis Sanchez maintaining his exceptional form, the mood around the Emirates has been optimistic.

But Arsenal have been here before – many, many times – and the forward power to overwhelm Stoke does not equate to the midfield heft to compete with the major teams.

Arsenal lost 6-3 at City last season, and that was the best of their three performances against the other sides who finished in the top four: they also lost 5-1 to Liverpool and 6-0 to Chelsea.

It will be a different story against Chelsea at the end of the month. Jose Mourinho, always one to cry conspiracy over fixtures lists, must have been delighted last summer when he found out his side would be playing City in January, when the midfield opposition will be more combative, although that is the only game in the next month when City’s midfield should not dominate anyway.

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