YAYA TOURE MADE a stunning first Premier League appearance of the season with two goals in Manchester City’s 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The visitors, having won only one of their previous five top-flight games, showed six changes from the 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough and it was Toure’s inclusion that set tongues wagging.
It took the Ivorian 39 minutes to recapture some of the old magic as a superb interchange with Nolito preceded his emphatic opener.
Alan Pardew’s side refused to give in and almost levelled when Christian Benteke’s header brought a fine stop from Claudio Bravo 10 minutes after the interval.
Sergio Aguero could have sealed it midway through the second half for City – who lost Vincent Kompany to injury – but his shot was kept out by a combination of Wayne Hennessey and Joel Ward.
In the next attack, Palace did get their equaliser as substitute Connor Wickham drifted past Pablo Zabaleta and blasted a fierce strike beyond Bravo.
The game was up for grabs in the final 20 minutes, with City eyeing a shot at top spot and Palace desperate to put further space between themselves and the bottom three.
But it was the away side who claimed the points, Toure capitalising on some woeful set-piece defending to turn in from six yards and condemn Palace to a fifth league loss in a row.
Lions need to fight fire with fire and deploy their own 6/2 bombsquad, add power to the midfield with Aki, and add flair to the back 3.
1. Vunipola
2. Cowan Dickie
3. Furlong
4. Itoje
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Beirne
7. Curry
8. Faletau
9. Murray
10. Farrell
11. Rees Zammit
12. Aki
13. Henshaw
14. Adams
15. Williams
16. Wyn Jones 17. Owens 18. Sinckler 19. Lawes 20. Henderson 21. Conan 22. Price 23. Daly
(Team given Wyn Jones is fit and Sinckler isn’t banned)
@Bruce Lee: lions need to keep the ball in Play, speed up their attack, stop boxkick and stop running straight into an organised defence that’s ready and waiting to smash them again see speed up attack.
@Chris Mc:
I think you are asking them to play rugby…. Which is a good idea…
I think Aki in back line could actually allow them to trust getting the ball to 13 and outside channels.
If you don’t get these SA running they will beat you in the arm wrestle
@Bruce Lee: Murray and Farrell will not cut it. Speed and creativity are required. That’s Price and Russell.
@Cowboy Paddy: as silly as that sounds yes to beat SA just play rugby. Measuring willies trying to smash through a SA organised defence is daft. Run, pass and take on soft shoulders with the odd offload, grubber past them and keep the pace of the game at an uncomfortable level for them.
@Bruce Lee: need to change number 1 and 2 jack done nothing wrong id also have henderson in ashead off the captain but that will never happen = WG
@Bruce Lee: AWJ shouldn’t even be on the bench, Farrell has had his chance, would start with Russell, Hamish deserves a shot too. Bundy against DA would be great. Surprised he hasn’t featured given its the king of ‘bish bosh’ who’s calling the shots.