adminMANCHESTER. – Yaya Toure says making up the ground on Chelsea to win the English Premier League soccer title is not beyond his club Manchester City if they retain belief in themselves as they did in 2014. The 33-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder – who has battled his way back into favour with City manager Pep Guardiola after a public spat with his agent and the Spanish coach earlier this season – concedes the 11-point difference will be tough to overhaul.
However, a fifth successive win at home to Stoke – they have not lost in nine in all competitions – tonight would at least keep some pressure on Antonio Conte’s Chelsea side.
Yet their previous two league title wins both involved late runs to overtake teams with seemingly unassailable leads – in 2012 overhauling city rivals Manchester United and 2014 when they did the same to Liverpool.
City trailed Liverpool by nine points with five games left – albeit with two matches in hand on the Merseysiders and recovered to win the league by two points.
“We just hope. The Premier League this year is going to be very demanding and very difficult,” said Toure.
“When you see Chelsea play, they play with confidence and they are strong.
‘‘We expect them to slip up, maybe a couple of times.’’ – AFP.
Online Reporter