It seemed most unfortunate timing that just as Yaya Toure was addressing the question of a possible new contract at Manchester City, in his first interview since being offered salvation by the club, that Pep Guardiola should walk past.

This is the manager who found the pronouncements of Toure’s agent Dimitri Seluk so offensive that he publicly volunteered the information that the Ivorian would not play until an apology was forthcoming. Yet a smile played across the Spaniard’s face as he walked through the depths of the Etihad Stadium, spotted Toure and leaned into the huddle. Toure, taking a second or so to realise this, briefly continued before dissolving into laughter. Sometimes, a scene can say more than words about where a sportsman is with his coach.

The equation has changed in many ways since Guardiola cast the 33-year-old out of his Champions League squad and omitted him from the Premier League scene entirely before a comeback at Crystal Palace on November 19, in which he scored twice.

A cruciate injury to Ilkay Gundogen strengthens the need for his presence and Toure has demonstrated what he still brings. City have won all four of the Premier League games he has subsequently started and generally found him a key presence.

Toure can speak of ambitions for his City future now in a way that suggests he will sign a contract extension if one is offered. He wants to make City “bigger than (Manchester) United”, he says, and adds that two Premier League titles in England is not enough of a tally. “Another new story,” is the aspiration he speaks of.

Behind the machinations of who would blink first over Seluk’s battery of insults, this is a story of Guardiola management muscularity, driving a player to be physically capable of delivering to expectation. Toure has lost eight kilograms in weight and is thought to have undertaken substantially more physical work to get back into the side. His deployment higher up the field, breaking the lines and linking play, looks his more natural domain than the holding role, as it always did.

“I feel 20 now...” he said. “I’m joking. But I always love this position, to help the team you know. I always give the pass to the guys in front, [Sergio] Aguero, [David] Silva, because it’s more their role than mine. My role is to keep the team moving the ball, organise, talk to them.”

There is a sense in what he says that he is also seeking to bring some circumspection to the Guardiola method; encouraging a level of protection against the counter which the ambitious new manager did not initially want. “I have the experience,” he said. “We are a team that wants to play football, but sometimes you have to tell the players to be careful especially on the counter attack. This was a big test for us. I’m not a manager but for me we make a little bit more step. We had a bit more trust when we go forward we have to concentrate for the counter attacks.

“I think [Guardiola] has seen how difficult this league is physically. He always has to win, to conquer a league, but he’s seen that here in England it’s complicated because as we’ve said before in England you need to be very strong in the second balls, and also the third and the firsts.” Guardiola is not averse to players expressing opinions. They say that it is not an autocracy that he runs, despite the physical demands he sets.

Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Show all 23 1 /23 Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Manchester City vs Arsenal Who impressed as Pep Guardiola's side beat Unai Emery's at the Etihad Stadium? The Independent Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Ederson - 8 out of 10 Came off his line superbly to beat Aubameyang to the ball. Little he could do to prevent Koscielny’s equaliser. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Kyle Walker - 6 out of 10 An improvement on some recent performances. Comfortable when in a back three after playing the same role with England. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Nicolas Otamendi - 6 out of 10 A forceful presence at the back, sometimes too forceful. One robust first-half challenge on Lacazette went unnoticed. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Aymeric Laporte - 7 out of 10 Picks up a rare assist, crossing for Aguero’s first, then saw a goal disallowed for offside. Covered well for Sterling, who was alone on the left flank. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Fernandinho - 7 out of 10 Initially struggled to exert his usual control over the midfield in the first half, perhaps because he had to keep dropping back into defence, but improved. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Bernardo Silva - 7 out of 10 Out of position on the wing and less influential than he often is in a central role but still troubled Arsenal’s left side. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Ilkay Gundogan - 8 out of 10 Almost faultless when distributing the ball. A delicate chip over the top of the defence in the build-up to Aguero’s goal was his best. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings David Silva - 7 out of 10 Not masterful from Il Mago but an all-round improvement on his display at St James’ Park, sprinkled with the odd special touch or pass. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Kevin De Bruyne - 6 out of 10 Did not have his usual influence on the game. An off-day though hardly anything to be concerned about. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Raheem Sterling - 8 out of 10 Created two of Aguero’s three, ghosting superbly behind Lichtsteiner for the second. Asked to cover the entire left flank but did not look out of place. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Sergio Aguero - 9 out of 10 Header, right foot, left arm. An unconventional hat-trick but his 14th in City colours. The wrong side of 30 now but his predatory instincts have not waned. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Bernd Leno - 6 out of 10 Dives too early and the wrong way for Aguero’s first but denied City impressively on several occasions after it. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Stephan Lichtsteiner - 5 out of 10 Caught out by Sterling’s intelligent movement, particularly on City’s second. Arsenal’s third-choice at right back and it showed. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Shkodran Mustafi - 6 out of 10 Equalises from Torreira corner, Monreal flick-on, but culpable for letting Aguero go at the far post for City’s crucial second. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Laurent Koscielny - 5 out of 10 Five yards behind the rest of the Arsenal defence for Aguero’s first, playing every City player onside, though perhaps did not anticipate Iwobi’s error. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Nacho Monreal - 7 out of 10 Neat near-post flick-on for Koscielny’s equaliser. Coped well enough with Bernardo despite being given little support. Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Alex Iwobi - 5 out of 10 Dispossessed deep in his own half by Laporte. Attempted to make up for his mistake and was tidy enough, though did little to atone. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Lucas Torreira - 8 out of 10 Made several key interceptions and tackles, especially as momentum shifted towards Arsenal in the first half. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Matteo Guendouzi - 7 out of 10 Poor start but did not hide and grew into the game as it went on. Largely shut down City’s midfield with Torreira until the game got away from Arsenal. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Sead Kolasinac - 6 out of 10 Stationed at left midfield but perhaps too adventurous for his full-back’s liking, with Monreal left one-on-one with Bernardo too often. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Alexandre Lacazette - 6 out of 10 Him and Aubameyang were sat strangely deep, bulking up Arsenal’s midfield, and this affected his ability to get forward. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 6 out of 10 As with Lacazette, often too deep to threaten, though a little brighter than his partner and Arsenal’s main threat on the counter-attack. Getty

Toure doesn’t pretend that life outside the starting XI was killing him. “To be honest, I belong on the field you know,” he said. “Even if I’m not playing I want to be at the stadium to watch. Out of the stadium is going to be difficult. Even when I finish, when I’m going home, I am thinking about my football and what I did and how I played and what I could change. I always want to progress.

“Of course I want to be involved, but it depends on the manager. I have played a lot of football when you look at all my stats, but at City, the fans at this club are the ones who always sing my name, give this happiness to the family. If I can do more, I will do it…”

Toure in action against Arsenal (Getty)