Let’s begin on a positive note with former City favourite Kolo telling Sport360 his brother still has a major role to play at the club, despite not being used in any of the Blues’ opening three fixtures.
Sport360 write: “Kolo Toure says Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure is among the world’s top players in his position and still has a big role to play for Pep Guardiola’s side, despite his age.
“The elder Toure, who is still a free agent after being released by Celtic at the end of last season, said of younger brother Yaya: ‘He’s always been one of the best midfielders in the world. I was saying that when he was playing in Ukraine, but nobody was listening to me!
‘I think he can still play a really key role in this Man City team. At passing, he’s one of the best in the world. He can break lines, start attacks from the back.
‘If there’s a runner around him who can fight for the ball and give him the ball, Yaya can just be the maestro from the back.’
Meanwhile the Premier League’s official site highlight another potential milestone for Sergio this weekend.
The Argentina striker – unused by his country during the international break – is already on the verge of becoming the Blues’ greatest ever goal-scorer as he edges close to Eric Brook’s record of 178 goals.
But Kun could add another record this weekend if he bags against Liverpool, as the PL highlight: “Aguero has the chance to earn himself another slice of history and equal a Premier League record against Liverpool on Saturday.
“Should he find the net at the Etihad Stadium, Aguero would become only the fourth player to score in six consecutive home PL matches against the same opponent.
“The Manchester City forward could go level with Alan Shearer (six for Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United v Everton), Thierry Henry (for Arsenal v Aston Villa) and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (for Leeds United, Chelsea and Middlesbrough v West Ham United).
“Aguero’s run against Liverpool began in his debut season in 2011/12, when he opened the scoring in a 3-0 win.
“The next season he found the net with a spectacular finish from a tight angle to earn City a 2-2 draw, before missing the 2013/14 meeting through injury.
“He struck again in 2014/15 as City won 3-1, but his goal a year later was merely a consolation in a 4-1 defeat.
“Last season, the Argentinian made it five home matches in succession when his 69th-minute close-range finish cancelled out a James Milner penalty.
“Aguero will now hope to make it six in a row, while he will also be keen to end up on the winning side at home against Liverpool for only the third time.”
Now, onto that transfer window…
As the last few days have proved, the Alexis Sanchez link is far from out of fuel with the nation’s football writers.
The Daily Mail suggest the Blues will make another attempt to secure the Chilean’s services after Christmas as they report: “City are ready to offer £20million for Alexis Sanchez in January.
“The Arsenal striker saw a late £60million deadline day move to City collapse when Arsenal failed to bring in a replacement in time, despite offering £92m for Monaco’s Thomas Lemar.
“The Chile forward has one year left on his contract and will negotiate with foreign clubs in January, with the 28-year-old ready to re-unite with his former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola
“Arsenal staff and players have grown increasingly exasperated at the saga surrounding Sanchez, who has spoken out against the national media in Chile after he faced further criticism following his country’s 1-0 defeat to Bolivia on Tuesday.
“The result leaves their World Cup qualifying chances in serious doubt.”
And Jonny Evans, who City were strongly linked with in the closing days of the window, has spoken to the Birmingham Mail about the recent speculation.
The Northern Ireland defender said: “’I’ve been there before in transfer windows.
‘United to West Brom happened quite late on. Then the next year after the Euros, there was interest from Arsenal.
‘You just deal with it as a footballer. Surprisingly enough, a lot of players with speculation, sometimes the press doesn’t always get hold of what goes on.
‘Mine was down to the fact Man City made a bid. That heightened the speculation.
‘I don’t make the decisions. I’m just someone in the middle with two clubs after me.
‘City first have to decide do they want you, or any club have to decide, and your own club have to decide do they sell you?
‘You’ve just got to let those decisions be made. You’ve got to then make your own decision and it never got to that stage for me.
‘But leading up to the end of the window, I was calm about everything.
‘I was just trying to get back to being fit for wherever I ended up so I could be at the top of my game.’
And that’s it for today. Same place, same time tomorrow…
