City thriving on the pressure says Toure

[Mark (Blue Army)]

Skipper Kolo Toure believes that mental strength will be the key to holding on to fourth spot in the Premier League.

The Blues are firmly in the driving seat to claim the fourth Champions League slot after passing the 60-point mark for the season for the first time since the top flight took on its current incarnation.

A third win a row, this time 5-1 over Birmingham, plus Liverpool’s draw with Fulham have Roberto Mancini’s men four points clear of their nearest rivals, Spurs, and with the best goal difference.

Fourteen goals have now been bagged in the last three matches but even so the experienced Toure, who was part of the Invincible Arsenal side that won the title, is adamant that the Champions League qualification prize will still be grasped by the team with the best minds.

“It is all about focus and holding your nerve from this point onwards,” declared the Blues skipper.

“We have just to take each week as it comes and train specifically for that contest. We thrive on the pressure.

“We have been awesome going forward in recent games and at times our strikers and wide midfield players have looked unstoppable.

"But just as important as form at this
stage is staying together as a unit,
fighting as one and making sure we are
concentrating at all times"

Toure was speaking after the demolition of Birmingham which followed hot on the heels of the 6-1 thumping of Burnley at Turf Moor.

The skipper admits that it is a great time to be hitting the heights and reckons that the Blues are now well prepared for the big guns of United, Arsenal and Villa that follow in the coming weeks.

“We have a lot of experience in the dressing room, players who have won titles all over Europe and who have played in World Cup and Champions League finals, we will not fail on that score,” he declared.

There is the knowledge and the intelligence to get the job done.

"We like the really big games we have shown that already beating United, Arsenal and Chelsea at home and Chelsea away and drawing twice with Liverpool.

“Our future is in our hands and that is the best way to be. We are but not over confident. We know there is a lot of hard work still to do and we are ready for it.”

mcfc.co.uk