Yaya Toure: Manchester City will need more goals to finish off Monaco

22 February 2017 10:24

Yaya Toure believes Manchester City will have to score at least two more against Monaco to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

City twice came from behind, with Sergio Aguero grabbing two, to beat the Ligue 1 leaders 5-3 in a sensational last-16 first leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

Three of City's goals came in a blistering 11-minute spell after they fell 3-2 behind in the second half but, with both sides fully committed to attack, it seems unlikely the scoring is over.

The sides are due to meet again in the principality in three weeks' time and Toure has no doubt there will be more goals.

The midfielder said: "I think we need to score two goals and we have to be careful.

"The game is not finished, we have one game to play away in Monaco. We don't have to underestimate them and must try to score goals again. We are a team that can get the goals but we can concede goals."

Toure felt Monaco brought the best out of City on an exhilarating and incident-packed night.

The 33-year-old Ivorian, who is out of contract at the end of the season, said: "I think, to be honest, we needed to deliver this kind of performance.

"Monaco are such a good team, as you could see. People underrated them but it was not easy.

"They are young, they have pace, they have desire and we needed to show more. I think we showed more. After going two down we continued to believe.

"After the game my wife called me and said we were looking young today, the team was brilliant."

The first decisive action came when Raheem Sterling put City ahead after 26 minutes but Monaco responded with the first of Radamel Falcao's double after a Willy Caballero error.

The visitors went ahead with a fine effort from live-wire teenager Kylian Mbappe but, in a key moment, Caballero atoned for his earlier blunder by saving a penalty from Falcao.

"The goalkeeper Caballero made the important save to be honest," said Toure. "He put us back in the game again."

Aguero, who earlier had a strong appeal for his own spot-kick turned down and was controversially booked for diving, drilled an equaliser through the grasp of goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.

Falcao did restore Monaco's lead with a sublime lob after making a fool of John Stones, but then City hit top gear. Aguero volleyed another equaliser before Stones poked in another at a corner. David Silva and Aguero then combined brilliantly to set up the fifth for Leroy Sane.

Monaco almost pulled one back late on but Caballero denied Falcao a hat-trick by saving with his feet.

Toure said: "The game was unbelievable. That is why I want to stay in Europe.

"We saw a real team. We were fighting, running everywhere.

"But we need to continue. We are delighted with the win but maybe we can score more, because in the Champions League it always costs when you concede goals."

Source: PA