UK Back Pages: Manchester City and Yaya Toure Savaged by Press After CSKA Loss

There's just one theme dominating the back pages of Thursday's newspapers, and that's Manchester City's abject performance in the Champions League.

City's hopes of progress hang by a thread after a 2-1 defeat at home to CSKA Moscow, but it was the manner of the defeat that was the biggest cause for concern.

Here's how the press covered Yaya Toure's sending off and the capitulation at the Etihad Stadium:

The Daily Mail's headline summed up the mood after the hosts were reduced to nine men:

"

MAIL SPORT: Sin City #tomorrowspaperstoday #BBCPapers pic.twitter.com/0oXYlUTe5h

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) November 5, 2014"

The Guardian's effort was less explosive but no less bleak:

"

GUARDIAN SPORT: Doumbia puts City on the brink #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/tyHxgVq5Cp

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) November 5, 2014"

The Daily Mirror play on CSKA's name with their CSKO headline, and there's also an interesting rumour at Manchester United that James Wilson might be about to displace Robin van Persie in the starting XI:

"

MIRROR SPORT: CSKO #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/kodHh4OUz7

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) November 5, 2014"

"Shamed City are a bunch of dummies," screams the Independent:

"

INDEPENDENT SPORT: Shamed City are a bunch of dummies #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/YV5FipC8NK

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) November 5, 2014"

While The Sun cut back on the words still further and just go with "Dummies":

"

SUN SPORT: Dummies #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/TxrEgtZDrj

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) November 5, 2014"

A final back page from The Times again focuses on City, suggesting the team are at rock bottom.

"

TIMES SPORT: Defeat leaves nine man City at rock bottom #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/oWdyPoqLFS

— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) November 5, 2014"

If they are, the road back to form begins this weekend.

[Twitter, @Hendopolis]