Toure wants to make history

23 March 2014 14:16

Yaya Toure is determined to keep Manchester City powering on towards title glory.

Toure, City's midfield talisman, scored a hat-trick in Saturday's convincing 5-0 win over 10-man, relegation-threatened Fulham.

The victory lifted Manuel Pellegrini's side to third in the Barclays Premier League, six points behind leaders Chelsea with three games in hand.

Toure set up the win by scoring the first two goals from the penalty spot and then curling home a sublime third at the Etihad Stadium. Fernandinho and Martin Demichelis added gloss to the scoreline late on.

Toure, the former Barcelona midfielder who also scored a brilliant goal to help win the Capital One Cup earlier this month, told City TV: "I came to the club to make history and I hope to continue to the end of my contract.

"I think the club and the fans need trophies, need history and need great players to come here and try to make this club great.

"We have the team, we have the players, we have the manager as well.

"I hope at the end of the season we lift this trophy for these fans who love City."

Toure's treble took his tally for the season to 20. He is the third City player to reach that landmark this season after Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo while Edin Dzeko, who missed the game through sickness, has 18.

The Ivory Coast international attributes his fine goalscoring form this season to the confidence placed in his offensive ability by attack-minded manager Pellegrini.

The 30-year-old said: "He gave me more freedom up front, he gave me more confidence to attack more.

"When you play full attack you can leave some space and it is very hard because when we win it is fine, but when we lose we get some criticism by some people who think they understand football more.

"But that is part of the job, that is why we love football. We are very happy to score five goals in front of the fans and I hope we will continue to the end."

City were not at their best but were still far too strong for Fulham.

They went ahead after Fernando Amorebieta kicked Negredo in the backside to concede, perhaps harshly, a penalty after 26 minutes.

But there was no contesting Amorebieta's second indiscretion as he felled David Silva early in the second half to give away another spot-kick and earn a red card.

Toure sent goalkeeper David Stockdale the wrong way for a second time and City then cruised to victory.

City have 10 league games remaining and their title credentials will be tested in two away games at Manchester United and Arsenal in the coming week.

Goalkeeper Joe Hart is confident City have the belief and ability to achieve their aim.

The England international said: "The fans, players, and staff - everyone needs to pull each other through if we want to get over the line first.

"I do think we have the squad to win the league. We can't get too wrapped up in the away games we still have to play.

"We still have the chance to do something really special and do something this club hasn't done for 44 years by winning two trophies in one season.

"So we need to press on and try and create a bit of history."

Hart has now re-established himself as Pellegrini's first-choice goalkeeper after a series of mistakes led to a spell out of the side earlier in the season.

Yet he feels he has to constantly keep working to maintain his position and accepts Costel Pantilimon, who played the League Cup final, will also get opportunities.

Hart said: "I don't feel it's a case of that side of things being really solved.

"I'm still training hard - as I would be whether I was in or out of the team - and I'm always working to improve my game.

"I don't want it to seem as though everything is fine or that it was part of my life that I will forget, because I'm still living it and I am trying to live in the moment more recently.

"The past is the past and we don't know what lies ahead in the future so it's better to live day by day.

"We are going to get some wonderful opportunities at this club - some I will be playing in, some that I won't - and I'm just trying to look at things the best I can."

Source: PA