Yaya Toure responded to Manuel Pellegrini's rallying call as he fired champions Manchester City to a 2-1 Premier League win over Swansea on Saturday.
The City midfielder, below par for much of the season but continually backed by City manager Pellegrini, powered forward to strike the winner just after the hour at the Etihad Stadium.
City had needed to respond after Wilfried Bony struck early for the visitors with a sublime piece of skill inside the area in the ninth minute.
Stevan Jovetic grabbed the equalizer 10 minutes later before City upped the tempo and Toure, in typical style, charged forward to settle the match in the 62nd.
City stays third with 24 points, six points ahead of Swansea. Both teams have played 12 matches.
The result eased some of the anxiety at City after just one win in the previous six games in all competitions.
Toure was at the heart of the victory, coming good after being sent off on his last appearance at the ground - the dismal Champions League loss to CSKA Moscow.
Toure had been rested after previous international breaks but, as he is suspended for Tuesday's clash with Bayern Munich, Pellegrini had challenged him to reproduce his best.
Swansea took the lead with a moment of high-quality attacking play. Nathan Dyer took a pass from Bony and then improvised to return it to the Ivory Coast striker with a clever flick into the area. Bony showed fine skill to control with his chest and then clip a shot past Joe Hart.
City equalized when Toure pushed forward and fed Jesus Navas out wide. The Spaniard curled an inviting low ball into the area and Jovetic stuck out a leg to divert past Lukasz Fabianski.
But still the general quality did not improve and referee Neil Swarbrick booked Kyle Bartley for a clumsy challenge on Sergio Aguero. That pair were involved in another moment of controversy moments later. Aguero went down holding his head after an off-the-ball collision with Bartley and was told to get up by Angel Rangel. Swarbrick needed to step in to avert a confrontation. After more players arrived on the scene the official needed to talk to captains Vincent Kompany and Ashley Williams to calm the situation.
City began to assert superiority. Fabianski produced a fine fingertip save to touch a powerful drive from Gael Clichy onto the post and Jovetic then shot from distance straight at the goalkeeper.
Swansea made a lively start to the second half with Jefferson Montero breaking through but Hart was quick off his line to smother the shot.
Hart did have an uncomfortable moment at a corner and then had to save from Glyfi Sigurdsson but Swansea gradually started to get pushed back.
Aguero had a shot deflected wide and Pablo Zabaleta drove a shot narrowly over the bar.
The goal City was threatening came just after the hour as Toure combined with Fernandinho. The pair exchanged passes and Toure took the Brazilian's backheeled return in his stride to drive into the area and poke the ball past Fabianski.
Leicester draw 0-0 with Sunderland
Leicester's goalless streak continued as it held Sunderland to a 0-0 draw in the Premier League.
The Foxes extended their goal drought to 500 minutes, having failed to score in their last five games.
A tight match had few clear chances but Kasper Schmeichel produced two fine first-half saves to thwart Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson while Costel Pantilimon saved well from Matty James.
Riyad Mahrez went close for the hosts but they have now failed to score since drawing with Burnley last month.
The point did lift the Foxes out of the relegation zone, though, while Sunderland remained 14th.
Sissoko gives Newcastle 5th league win in a row
Moussa Sissoko fired Newcastle to a fifth straight Premier League victory on Saturday with the 1-0 win sending Queens Park Rangers to the bottom of the table.
Sissoko, captaining the side in the absence of the injured Fabricio Coloccini, turned on Sammy Ameobi's pass to fire past Rob Green in the 78th minute.
The Magpies left the visitors still without a single league point away from home.
However, there was heartache for Newcastle's Ryan Taylor, starting his first Premier League game since March 2012 after two cruciate ligament injuries. Taylor limped off in tears after just 34 minutes with all the indications suggesting yet another knee problem.
Newcastle provisionally moved fourth with 19 points after 12 matches while QPR has eight points.
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