Following their destruction of Tottenham Hotspur, Yaya Toure has set Manchester City’s sights on beating Chelsea’s Premier League record of 103 goals for the season.
The Blues were in ruthless form at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with Jesus Navas scoring the first goal after a matter of seconds and then wrapping up a memorable win with the sixth in stoppage time. This wasn’t the first time we have seen City in such devastating mood in recent times, as their neighbours United would testify.
City have now scored 34 goals in their 12 league matches this season, although the majority of these have come at home. Toure knows he and his team mates must improve on their away form, but if they can do so, the Ivory Coast international sees no reason why they can’t beat Chelsea’s haul of 103 goals under Carlo Ancelotti in the 2009-10 season.
“At the moment it is quite difficult but we will try to find a way,” he said. “At home we are very prolific. Away is more difficult. Either the referee is not fine or the fans or the opponent try to make it hard. That is part of football. That is the Premier League. That is why it is the best league in the world. It is very important to start winning away from home.”
The main source of goals for Manuel Pellegrini this season has been Sergio Aguero. The Argentine hit a brace in the romp against Tottenham to take his tally to 10 goals in 11 appearances, and this makes him the deadliest marksman since the inception of the Premier League in terms of minutes-per-goal. His conversion rate stands at a goal every 119.5 minutes, which edges him ahead of Arsenal’s Thierry Henry (121.8 minutes).
If the former Atletico Madrid man, aided by the likes of fellow-striker Alvaro Negredo and indeed Toure himself, can maintain their rich scoring form at home and find their feet on the road, they will be on course to beat Chelsea’s record. However, the English top-flight record of 128 goals, achieved by Aston Villa in 1930-31, is surely beyond even them.
