• Premier League

Yaya Toure 'in real pain' at missing derby

ESPN staff
January 6, 2012
Yaya Toure will not play in the FA Cup third round tie against Manchester United © Getty Images
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Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has admitted he is "very sad" that he won't be allowed to play in the FA Cup third round game against Manchester United on Sunday.

Toure, along with brother Kolo, has been told he must join up with the rest of Ivory Coast's African Cup of Nations squad for a pre-tournament meeting in Paris on Saturday, despite a request from City manager Roberto Mancini to allow the pair to play in the derby match before flying out to join the rest of the squad.

And Toure, who has been an instrumental player for the Premier League leaders so far this season, admits it has been a real blow for him to be forced to miss the match.

"I am very sad. Missing the FA Cup derby is a real pain after I have spent weeks trying to seek a solution," Toure said. "But the [Ivory Coast Football] Federation would not accept us leaving it to Sunday. I am suffering a lot over this."

Mancini has previously acknowledged that losing Yaya Toure for the month is a massive blow, with Roma's Daniele De Rossi once again linked with the club as a potential reinforcement in midfield.

"I have tried to find another Yaya in my squad but there isn't another Yaya," Mancini said on Wednesday. "He is a very important player. For this reason January is a big month.

"If we can stay on the top of the table after January then I think we have a very good chance to win the league."

Watch ESPN's latest Fan Film as Fleetwood Town get ready for the FA Cup third round

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