Manager Pep Guardiola is confident that midfielder Yaya Toure can play a huge role for Manchester City after he scored twice on his return to the team on Saturday.

The Ivory Coast international had spent the majority of the season on the sidelines after his agent Dimitri Seluk had openly criticised Guardiola.

Toure’s only other appearance had come in a 1-0 Champions League win over Steaua Bucharest in August but Guardiola decided to turn to him for the trip to Crystal Palace.

He opened the scoring in the first-half at Selhurst Park before then grabbing the winner after Connor Wickham had fired Palace level.

Toure could now look forward to more first-team appearances in the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League and Guardiola believes he could fire the club to glory.

“Of course for the two goals [he was good] but it [Toure’s performance] was more than that,” Guardiola told Sky Sports.

“Nobody has doubts about his quality. The last month and a half he’s trained and his physical condition has improved.

“Yaya is an important part of this club.He is so so important. In the years the club won the Premier League he was a huge personality and his team-mates appreciate him a lot.

“When we have games every three games you need to rotate the team. In this league it is intense because every team fights and fights and fights. We need all the players and Yaya is one of them.”

Toure will be hoping to play his part in a busy Christmas period as he tries to help his side move clear in the league table and City are priced at 3.00 to lift the title.