When Yaya Toure was suspended for three matches for the way he had behaved in the CSKA game, it was supposed to be a disaster for City.
For a team which was already struggling quite a lot, to lose one of the most experienced players, it was certainly some blow. But, it has actually proved to be blessing in disguise.
Now, if the City fans sit and look back at that, they would think it was not such a bad thing to happen to the team at that point of time.
The two European games that Toure has not played due to his ban are the games against Bayern Munich and Roma and the Sky Blues have won both of them.
Had Toure been available, Manuel Pellegrini would never have opted to start with the Brazilian duo of Fernando-Fernandinho.
But, in the absence of the veteran, the City manager has had to go with those two players and the way they have played, it would be very unfair if any of those two get dropped in the knockout games for Toure to get in.
Yes, Toure is experienced and the experience is needed in crunch games, but, the reality is that this season, the Ivorian has just not hit the kind of form that is expected from him. In patches yes, he has shown that he can still be useful, but, he has been nowhere as good as he was the previous season.
Toure can’t be slotted in the attacking line of City either. The players there are doing a fine job already. Sergio Aguero is at the top of his game and so is David Silva.
However, it remains to be seen if Pellegrini is brave enough to leave out Toure when he is available.