Yaya Toure believes that Manchester City need to start winning away from home to keep up with their title rivals as they head to the Hawthorns on Wednesday night.
Toure, who was voted BBC African player of the year on Monday, is delighted by the news that Vincent Kompany will be in the squad for the match.
The 30-year-old said that the Belgian international will help to settle the side in what he sees as a difficult week with City leaving home comforts behind as they go looking for a win on the road.
“We need to start from somewhere to get the win. We have two away games, West Brom and then Southampton, which will be quite a hard game,” the Ivorian told the club’s website.
“It’s a big test for us because we need to change this run and try to be at the top.
“We have to stay close to the big rivals. Arsenal and Chelsea are doing well and they win away as well as home, that’s the difference.”
With West Bromwich Albion only conceding six goals at home so far this season City manager Manuel Pellegrini acknowledged that his side face a challenge.
“It is a difficult team. Everyone must play a very good game if we want to have the three points not only defending also attacking because they defend very well,” he told reporters.
“It is a strong team – a mixed team. Sometimes they play long sometimes they like to build it up short they are strong in the air and it is a very strong defensively so we must play a very good match.”
Pellegrini is also pleased to have Kompany back fit for action with the Chilean dismissing the notion that the Blues’ defence was still shaky.
“I think he is very important, he is a very good player, our captain, and normally in the starting 11. We do not have so many problems in defending as the results say, I think our defending is third best in league in the amount of goals conceded,” Pellegrini continued.
Joe Hart looks set to remain on the bench despite the former Malaga boss stating that he still trusts the England goalkeeper.
However Costel Pantilimon’s record of one goal conceded in seven appearances is enough for the Romanian to keep the starting position.
Image courtesy ITV via youtube, with thanks
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