Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini claims that Ivorian pair Wilfried Bony and Yaya Toure are struggling to fit back into the Premier League after winning the AFCON in February.
Bony and Toure helped Ivory Coast win the competition in February but have since returned to City, having struggled along with the side to find their form, and Pellegrini has blamed their lack of impact in the African competition.
“It was important for [Bony] to start the game from the beginning,” the Chilean told reporters after the 2-0 win over Leicester City on Wednesday evening.
“He only played a couple of minutes in the last few games and he only just arrived from the Africa Cup of Nations, where they played a lot of games.
“I think Yaya is also feeling the pace of the games.
“It would have been better for [Bony] to score but it was more important to start a game. It was also important for him to have some chances and I think he worked very well.”