Pep Guardiola Comments on Yaya Toure Before Manchester Derby in 2016 EFL Cup

Pep Guardiola has said he would like to pick Yaya Toure for Manchester City's EFL Cup trip to Manchester United on Wednesday but can't as he has yet to receive an apology from the midfielder's camp. 

Toure has fallen out of favour with the Manchester City manager after comments made by the player's agent earlier in the season. And Guardiola admitted his hands are tied over selecting the midfielder.

He told a press conference, via Jonathan Smith for ESPN FC: "You know the situation. I would like to come with Yaya, believe me, I would like, but you know the situation."

Toure's continued absence comes after comments made by his agent Dimitri Seluk, where he accused Guardiola of "humiliating a great player."

At the time Seluk said, per Simon Mullock for the Sunday Mirror:

"

If he [Guardiola] wins the Champions League for City this season then I will travel to England and I will say on television that Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world. But if City don’t win the Champions League then I hope that Pep has got the balls to say that he was wrong to humiliate a great player like Yaya.

"

Guardiola confirmed in September that Toure would not play for the club again until he had received an apology, per Simon Stone of BBC Sport.

City face a spell of seven matches in 21 days and the Spanish boss' honeymoon period looks to be over after a crushing 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League last week and dropping points at home to Southampton on Sunday.

Toure's approach to being discarded has been positive, according to James Ducker of the Telegraph, who wrote that the Ivory Coast star has lost at least 10 pounds since the summer in a bid to force his way into the new manager's plans.

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However, it is proving a desperate time for Toure at City. As per Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News:

"It is a sorry situation where Toure—a man who has made such an impact on big occasions against United and others—will sit out a derby because of some silly words."

City have impressed in their march to the summit of the Premier League, and it can certainly be argued that Toure hasn't been missed.

His athletic, influential style was a key factor in winning the title under Manuel Pellegrini in 2013-14 but by Toure's standards he was well below-par during the last campaign. The midfielder weighed in with 24 goals in the title-winning year but has struggled to recapture fitness and form since.

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Come January, Toure will have just six months remaining on his City contract and will be free to discuss terms with other clubs.

High wages may prevent a permanent move away from the Etihad so a loan could be the best option once the transfer window reopens in January.

Guardiola, meanwhile, has shown he has a ruthless approach to shaping his side and has already allowed players including goalkeeper Joe Hart and Samir Nasri to leave the club on loan.

Provided there has been no thaw in relations between manager and player, it looks unlikely City fans will see Toure taking his place at the heart of midfield again.