Samir Nasri may have taken the man-of-the match honours as Manchester City completed the first part of their bid to win four trophies, but he hailed the impact and influence of Yaya Toure in their League Cup triumph and in making history.
The Frenchman says Toure, who took his season goal tally to 17 with a sensational strike in Sunday's 3-1 win over Sunderland, would be widely accepted as the world’s best midfielder if he was not from the Ivory Coast.
“He can do everything, score goals, defend, attack,” said Nasri. “When he gets the ball he is so powerful. You should just admire the way he plays because he’s a great player.
“If he wasn’t African everyone will say he’s the best midfielder in the world.
“Of course it counts against him being from Ivory Coast. If he was Argentinian or Brazilian, everyone will talk about him, everyone. You have some Brazilians or Argentinians, I don’t want to say anything wrong, but just because they are from this country you pay them £40 million (Dh245.8m) or £50m (Dh307m).
“A guy like Yaya, he has won every trophy. Tell me one defensive midfielder who can go forward like him, who can score 16 or 17 goals in a season. Tell me one and then we can talk.”
Nasri too is stamping his class on City, scoring a stunning second goal as they made it “third time” lucky for him after last season’s FA Cup final loss to Wigan, and the 2011 League Cup final defeat to Birmingham while at Arsenal.
Now he has targeted Wigan and Barcelona as City look to stay in the FA Cup and Champions League, and also Chelsea, who are six points clear at the top of the Premier League.
“To have this sort of emotion, trust me the League Cup is important for us,” said Nasri. “Whatever cup you play you want to win it, especially when you are a player. We are there in the Premier League, if we win our two games in hand we will be top with Chelsea, and we play Wigan home in the FA Cup and it’s going to be a good time to have revenge.
“I’m not scared about Chelsea or the league. There is plenty more to play and everyone is going to have difficult games. But it’s better not to talk, but to act on the pitch.”
