Yaya Toure not giving up on catching Chelsea

Yaya Toure said he will not give up on Manchester City catching Chelsea in the Premier League title race.

City thumped West Ham 4-0 at London Stadium on Wednesday to move within 10 points of Antonio Conte’s league leaders, with the midfielder scoring a second-half penalty.

Manager Pep Guardiola insisted the gap is too big and that the title race is Chelsea’s to lose after the West Ham game, but Toure is not convinced – even though he concedes his team-mates are up against.

“When you look at me, I never give up,” Toure, who has returned to City’s Champions League squad on Thursday, told reporters.

“But football is not about the talk outside the pitch it is about what goes on the pitch. We have to perform.

“It is quite difficult for us. Chelsea have been playing one game a week and we are fighting in a lot of competitions so it is quite hard.

“You see the solidity of Chelsea and a win at Liverpool would have made it very difficult for us. But we are not thinking about Chelsea – we are thinking about us.

“Just get the job done, keep it going and perform like we did.”

Toure feels City have a tough task winning the title in the free-flowing style Guardiola demands.

He added: “The manager is a big winner. He not only wants to win, he wants to win in style and that is very difficult in the Premier League.

“We have to do those kind of performances. Normally we play well – but we have to win.”

Guardiola’s men are back in action at home to Swansea City on Sunday.