Mancini issues Toure challenge

The Blues midfielder was the hero at the end of last season when he bagged a winning brace at St James' Park to put Roberto Mancini's men on the road to eventual Premier League glory.

City will lose the player next month for a potential six weeks when the 29-year-old joins up with the Ivory Coast squad for the African Cup of Nation in South Africa.

Mancini admits Toure's departure will leave a massive void at the heart of his engine room and may ask the owners for money in January to bring in another face.

But the Italian insists Toure can go a long was to helping the club between now and Christmas by scoring two goals a game!

Mancini will be without a suspended Gareth Barry against the Magpies and may spring a surprise by playing striker Carlos Tevez in a slightly deeper role. City are 7/1 to win the match 2-1, and 6/4 to keep a clean sheet. Toure is 9/1 to score first.

The City boss admits: "I'm worried because Yaya, for us, is really important. To lose him in January is a big problem. I hope that Yaya can score two goals every game from now until he has to leave.

"Yaya is important for us and the next five games will be important."

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