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West Bromwich - Manuel Pellegrini is confident Manchester City will see Yaya Toure back to his best after insisting the problems the player faced last season are now behind him.
Toure was on the scoresheet as City showed their Premier League title credentials with an impressive 3-0 opening-game win away to West Bromwich Albion on Monday.
Having seen rivals Chelsea and Arsenal both slip up over the weekend, City manager Pellegrini's team took full advantage with a dominant display which will give them confidence ahead of Sunday's showdown with Jose Mourinho's champions.
Having struggled to find his best form for a variety of reasons last term, the performance of Ivory Coast star Toure stood out as he gave signs he is fit and focused with a dominant display at the heart of City's midfield.
"I always said last season it was a strange season for Yaya, he started with a lot of problems, the death of his brother, his agents, I think he was not focused maybe on what he had to do last year," Pellegrini explained.
"We spoke a long way before the start of the season and I am very sure we will see the Yaya from two years ago. He is a very important player for us," the Chilean added.
"I don't think Yaya deserved the amount of criticism he received last season. It was not his best season but he did not play so, so bad like everyone said.
"But he is an important player for us. I am sure last season his head was not in his best moment. It is very difficult for a player when you have so many problems."
