Toure sees shades of ‘Invincibles’ in stuttering City

Man City 1 Reading 0

The defending champions have been far from convincing in the opening four months of this campaign, particularly in Europe where their displays have cast doubts over the future of manager Roberto Mancini.

But the fact remains that in the league, Mancini’s team is one late Robin van Persie goal away from being undefeated and within touching distance of neighbours and leaders United. Their form may not have the football cognoscenti thinking of the great Arsenal team of 2003-04 but the manner of their late victory over Reading had one survivor from that Gunners’ team, the City defender Kolo Toure, daring to make the comparison. “It was the same at Arsenal, that team who were the ‘Invincibles’,” said Toure. “We knew when we were losing or drawing we could get the crucial goal. We have the same winning mentality here. We never accept drawing or losing.”