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Yaya Toure could yet be the unlikely hero in a season of missed opportunities for Manchester City.

The big midfielder has drawn plenty of criticism this season from Blues fans, the general consensus appearing to be that he is shot – that is mind is elsewhere and his legs are unwilling.

That view has never been helped by the curdled pronouncements of his eccentric agent Dmitri Seluk, who has made Yaya as unpopular off the pitch as his ability had made him a hero on it in the last five years.

The big man's performance at Wembley rolled back the years. He continued to be the masterful presence in the centre of the park, the man who takes the ball, gives it, takes it again and then finds a subtle killer pass.

And he even reprised the Yaya of old, storming forward on those runs which have the kind of effect on defences that a prairie stampede might have.

Yaya was once beautifully described as a “buffalo in ballet shoes”, and he fitted that description perfectly as City bossed Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday.

But he took a kick on the foot in that game, was not fit for the clash at Anfield, and City suddenly looked like a rudder-less ship.

That was not entirely down to the absence of Toure, as there were other factors, not least the poverty of David Silva's display – he looks like a man who is being dragged down by the ankle troubles he has had for a while.

Fans have something of a false memory of Yaya, thinking that he used to be a behemoth who dominated games, week in, week out, scoring great goals and destroying defences. It's a little like remembering that every day of your school summer holidays was baking hot.

Yaya used to frustrate and occasionally flop five years ago. He was lambasted as lazy back then.

But he ALWAYS came up with the goods when it mattered. His goals in FA Cup semi-finals and League Cup finals – even his ice-cool spot kick in Sunday's shoot-out – are part of that.

But in City's 2014 title win it was Yaya who found something special, taking control of the crunch game at Crystal Palace that propelled them back into the chase.

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He should be fit for Saturday's home game with Aston Villa, and after that trips to Norwich and Bournemouth and home games with United and West Brom.

If Yaya can again summon the spirit, City could easily snap up 15 points, and with everyone else floundering about, they could yet be in the chase.

Yaya's future is uncertain this summer with Pep Guardiola coming in – he says he wants to stay, but he is either playing for his place in the squad or to impress suitors.

Either way he could still shove City back into this crazy title race.

Has Yaya got one more big finish in him? Have your say below