As Manchester City capitulated to a defeat against their Manchester rivals, Pellegrini’s men were dominated all over the pitch. There is now little doubt that the cycle of this Manchester City team, one of the most successful in their history, is coming towards its conclusion.

Now serious questions must be asked of some of their once most influential players. In particularly fingers are beginning to be pointed at Yaya Toure. Arguably one of the best players in City history, once so central to their successes is becoming no more than a liability in City’s crumbling dynasty. Is it time to cash in and move on from the era of Yaya?

To even suggest that the Ivorian’s future would be in doubt was simply unfathomable this time last year. Last campaign Toure was the lifeblood of his team, powering his side to the title with a remarkable 20 goals from midfield. He was quite rightly voted as Manchester City’s player of the year and some would argue he was unfortunate to not have scooped the best player in the entire league.

However, cracks began to appear in his relationship with the club in the following summer; rumours of a disagreement regarding a lack of respect shown to the player around his birthday were used to help plant the idea that maybe his future was not penned so securely as many imagined.

That was the prelude to the 31 year old’s most disappointing season in England by a country mile. Although he has been absent due to the African Cup of Nations, he has only managed to score seven times; but in truth his struggles are not truly represented by pure statistics.

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He has become lethargic and lazy, a shadow of the player that once terrorized every midfield in the land. When Toure has a good day, he can still be spectacular, the issue is his good days are now heavily outnumbered by his bad ones.

It seems a real shame that the man behind so much of City’s success looks as if he will leave under a cloud. He has cut a disconsolate figure in recent months, like he can’t wait for his Manchester ordeal to end. But unfortunately his team may feel if they do not sell him this summer his value will be decreasing with every passing, laborious midfield sulk.

His lack of defensive awareness has always been counterbalanced by his attacking prowess, but as his attacking influence continues to wane, his team are struggling more and more to carry him. There are now rumours that Pellegrini has finally decided enough is enough and that he can no longer justify starting Yaya in their next game against West Ham.

Toure, in all likeliness, has six games left of his City career before he moves on to pastures new.  He will leave behind a trophy laden spell at the club, but will his legacy be damaged by his lack of effort in his closing months at the Etihad?

For all of Toure’s struggles, Manchester City are still a much better side when their driving midfielder is at his ferocious best. The perfect ending for player and his adoring fans is to see the world class midfielder that has graced Eastlands for the last five years, not the one that has stank it out for the last three months.

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