The champions haven’t earned three points from any of the six games Toure has missed in the top flight this season, with the 1-1 draw at home to Hull the fifth time they’ve been forced to share the points in the absence of their talismanic midfielder.
City will be thankful to have taken anything from their encounter with Steve Bruce’s struggling side, after a late James Milner free-kick rescued a point for the hosts - but Chelsea’s 2-1 win at Aston Villa strengthens the Blues’ position at the top of the table.
Manuel Pellegrini has described it as “impossible” for Toure and new signing Wilfried Bony – who will both play in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final for Ivory Coast – to return in time for Wednesday’s trip to Stoke.
Milner's free-kick rescued a point against Hull
City haven’t won away against their midweek opponents since a 1999 Division Two meeting and will need to find a way to reverse their recent trend without Toure to end that run.
They have managed Champions League wins over Bayern Munich and Roma this term without Toure but the stats show that, in the Premier League, without the midfielder in their side, City score less often and concede more frequently.
Manchester City with and without Toure this season in the Premier League:
Played:18-6
Won:14-0
Drawn:2-5
Lost:2-1
Scored per game:2.2-1.2
Conceded per game:0.8-1.5
Points per game:2.4-0.8
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