Over to you, Yaya: Now is Toure's time to secure a glittering legacy at City

Yaya Toure made amends for missing an open header just minutes earlier with a late, slick left-footed effort handing his side a huge 3-1 advantage from Wednesday's first leg at Dynamo Kyiv.

Although not a performance of the swashbuckling, sledgehammer surges that have epitomised much of the Ivorian's career in England, for the most part it was an outing of supreme maturity that will give Manchester City fans hope that it's the beginning of what is traditionally the midfielder's time to step up.

To boast a 98 percent passing percentage when much of his play was in the final third shows the influence that he had on this game, and he seemed to also inspire David Silva, Raheem Sterling, and Sergio Aguero. The energy of Fernando and Fernandinho behind him - breaking up plays and expertly retaining possession - allowed City to compensate for Toure's reluctance in the tackle at 32 years of age.

Birthday cake-gate aside, it's that lack of desire in the challenge and propensity to look disinterested that has hampered what was a sure-fire route into the list of City greats though. This is the second season that Toure has frustrated and thrilled in equal measure, and his bodged header from 4 yards out followed his ill-timed breather for Dynamo's goal:

He has produced iconic moments in sky blue (or, indeed, in glow-in-the-dark yellow as he did in 90th minute on Wednesday). Though, to truly quash questions about his commitment and secure legendary status in Eastlands then Toure needs one more blistering end to a season.

His legacy

Signed before Roberto Mancini's first full campaign at the City helm, Toure was unveiled alongside Aleksandar Kolarov, David Silva, and Jerome Boateng in the summer of 2010.

At the time Silva was only known to fans of football on the Iberian peninsula and hipsters - many would assume you meant David Villa when talking of the diminutive Spaniard - so Toure was undoubtedly the first true superstar brought in since Sheikh Mansour's riches filled City's depleted coffers in 2008.

He quickly etched his name into City folklore on April 16, 2011, when an impassioned Toure stepped out for the second half of an FA Cup semifinal and orchestrated an overwhelming 45 minutes for arch-rival Manchester United.

His winner rocked the supremacy that United had enjoyed in English football for almost two decades, and sparked jubilation in both the blue half of Wembley and Manchester.

"It was a fantastic goal, he was fired up at halftime," goalkeeper Joe Hart reflected at the time. "He's an emotional guy and he lets his emotion show on the pitch."

His ability to channel his aggression into an instrumental performance became evident over several other big occasions or late in campaigns. Toure's blast downed Stoke City in the final a month later, giving City its first piece of silverware in a whopping 35 years. And he was at it again three years later, scoring a mesmeric first-time swerver in helping to lead City to victory in the League Cup final against Sunderland. His roles in the final matches of the 2011-12 and 2013-14 title-winning campaigns were pivotal.

Time for one last encore

Now the stage is set for a blockbuster last hurrah from City's No. 42, as every report points to the exit door this summer. His powers are dwindling, those trademark charges are becoming rarer, so he'll have to find another way to drag his team over the finishing line.

City was shamed by Liverpool via a 4-1 scoreline back in November, but in Sunday's League Cup final it should be a very different story. Vincent Kompany was back to his colossal best in the Ukraine, Silva was constantly picking and prodding at Dynamo's defence, and Aguero continued a fantastic run of eight goals in his last seven outings.

Toure's showing was the most pleasing for many City fans though - one of the first times his shortcomings were accommodated for but not carried by his colleagues.

There are players that will firmly feature on Jurgen Klopp's radar ahead of his side's clash with the Manchester outfit, but Toure is likely to be one that he will try to exploit.

Klopp should do so at his peril though, should the other midfielders continue to busy themselves around him at Wembley, Toure can again be authoritative and a potentially match-winning presence in the middle.

Manuel Pellegrini's side is still competing on three fronts, and the script is written for Toure to end his Manchester City career in emphatic fashion. With the term nearing its end, it's a role he's certainly familiar with.