What Yaya Toure told Man City team-mates ahead of denting Newcastle’s Champions League dream

Newcastle United’s dramatic victory at Nottingham Forest has kept the Magpies hopes alive of securing an unlikely Champions League finish. The Magpies have not played European football for a decade, and Alan Pardew’s side found themselves in a similar situation to the current generation in the final weeks of the 2011/12 season.

Newcastle’s unbeaten start to the campaign set the stage for Pardew’s team to qualify for the Europa League, which produced a memorable run to the quarter-final and a brave display in defeat to Benfica. However, a Champions League spot was still up for grabs when title-chasers City came to St James’ Park on May 6, 2012.

The hosts battled hard, but were undone by the brilliance of Yaya Toure with the former Barcelona star scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory. Roberto Mancini’s side would go on to be crowned champions in extraordinary circumstances following the famous win over QPR a week later, kicking off an era of dominance at the Etihad.

Reflecting on that afternoon and Toure’s match-winning performance, former City team-mate Micah Richards has revealed the Ivory Coast international’s confidence ahead of kick-off. The pundit has outlined how in a star-studded lineup closing in on their first title, the box-to-box midfielder took control and demanded possession on Tyneside.

Speaking with Magpies’ record goalscorer Alan Shearer, Richards told Match of the Day’s Top 10 podcast: “I remember we went to your place, Newcastle, I think that was the game before QPR and we need to win. We won 2-0, and Yaya said before we went out ‘I’m going to score today. Just give the ball to me, I’m going to score’.

“He said that in the changing room before we’re going out, and you know it’s tense. Newcastle away is always a tough fixture, no matter in what era. He wasn’t arrogant, he was just confident. He said ‘give the ball to me today, and I’ll score’. He ends up being the hero.”

The discussion between Richards and Shearer came as part of their review of the Premier League’s greatest ever midfielder. Both named Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard at number one in their lists, with Richards picking Toure at number six, ahead of the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Frank Lampard.

Richards explained: “I think he’s underrated. If you think about players who took Man City to the Premier League, you’re looking at Silva, Yaya, Kompany, Joe Hart. Everyone talks about his power and his pace but his technique…the way he used to control games.”