Milner believes City will have reason to be thankful if a minor injury for Toure is the only price to be paid for being forced to play on a pudding of a pitch. Although the surface passed an afternoon inspection, it soon became apparent it was not fit for purpose. Privately, some connected with the Blues questioned whether the game should have been played, although in the end, the visitors emerged from the 2-1 win largely unscathed. Although Toure will have to be assessed after sustaining a first-half ankle injury, manager Roberto Mancini has already played down fears of a long-term problem for the midfielder, describing the knock as 'not serious'. And for that, Milner feels, City have cause to breathe a sigh of relief. "It was probably one of the worst pitches we have played on," said the England midfielder. "I am not blaming anyone but it is not ideal in pre-season and probably increased the risk of injury. "There were big chunks coming out of the pitch, so turning was difficult. "You try to put it out of your mind but when it is taking you five steps to turn round, subconsciously you are bound to think about it. "Yaya has got injured and if it is not too bad, maybe we were a bit lucky to get away with it." If nothing else, the concern over Toure stopped conversation about Carlos Tevez for a short while. Even though he is now at home in South America, the Argentina star has cast a vast shadow over City's preparations for the new campaign. The statement Corinthians released on Monday playing down Roberto Mancini's claim of a £40million deal being done had been anticipated by the Blues hierarchy, who want to see proof of Corinthians' ability to pay before they reluctantly accept Tevez is leaving. However, in confirming he expects a bid for Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero to be lodged within the coming days, Mancini has shown he is already looking to the future. It seems his players share those sentiments, although Gareth Barry is not prepared to put the boot into a man who has combined excellence on the field with endless distractions off it. "There has obviously been the odd chat about Carlos," said the England midfielder. "He has made it clear he is ready to leave and the players will respect his decision. "We would be sad to lose him because he is a class player who has worked really hard. He has helped the club win its first trophy and he has always given 100%. We are grateful for that. "But if you believe what you read, then yes, he has played his last game." For now, it will have to be taken on trust that Aguero is up to the job of replacing his fellow countryman. Certainly performances for Atletico indicate he is, even if a fee of £45million means the 23-year-old could hardly be described as a snip. "Aguero is a very exciting player from what I have seen on TV," said Barry. "He is a class act. Names like that will excite fans and the players." With or without Tevez, City must advance from last season's very productive effort, which secured them an automatic Champions League slot in addition to ending a 35-year trophy drought by beating Stoke in the FA Cup final. Barry confirms that Wembley triumph has strengthened his team-mates' inner resolve, although he actually believes expectations were higher in the campaigns prior to this one. "It was a lot worse before we won a trophy," said the 30-year-old. "Obviously the expectation is high but it seems a lot more settled. "Winning the FA Cup is a reminder that we can go the full distance in a competition. That drought is finally over. "We cannot just rest on that though. It is important that we don't keep still. "We need to keep believing and building on the progress we made last season. "We have to move forward to try and reach the levels other clubs have maintained over the years."
