Ivory Coast international and Manchester City defender Kolo Toure has been suspended the club announced on Thursday after failing a drug test.

A statement on City’s official website read: “Manchester City confirm that the FA has informed Kolo Toure that an ‘A-sample’ provided by him has tested positive for a specified substance.

“As result of this, he has been suspended from participating in all first team and non-first team matches pending the outcome of the legal process.

“There will be no further comment from the football club at this stage.”

It is understood that Toure was not included in City’s squad for Wednesday’s FA Cup win against Aston Villa because the club were aware of the situation.

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The Manchester derby at Old Trafford ended with some long forgotten Wayne Rooney magic yesterday as he scored the winner to seal the 2 – 1 win for United over Manchester City.

United had seen Nani’s first-half opener cancelled out after the break when David Silva deflected in an Edin Dzeko shot, but Rooney’s spectacular late strike ensured Sir Alex Ferguson’s side hold the bragging rights over their bitter rivals.

Rooney’s sixth goal of the season lifted league leaders United seven points clear of second placed Arsenal, who host Wolves later on Saturday, and eight ahead of third placed City.

Silva had a golden chance to put City ahead in the fourth minute after a one-two with Carlos Tevez, but the Spain winger poked wide from close-range.

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Manchester City reserve striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been allowed to talk to his old club Monaco about a cut-price £9million transfer.

Adebayor has no part to play now in Roberto Mancini’s plans, and the 26-year-old striker could be sold to the French outfit before the weekend – with City ready to take a massive hit on the £25m fee they paid Arsenal for him in July 2009.

Monaco are willing to take on Adebayor’s king-sized salary – as they will be helped by the fact that the principality has a tax-free status.

That means the Togo international could pocket around £100,000 a week and not lose out.

Adebayor is seeking a pay-off from City to go, but the mega-rich club are ­optimistic of shifting him out.

He is becoming an expensive luxury item in reserve.

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Manchester City captain Carlos Tevez scored a double to help his side beat Wolves 4 – 3 and move to the top of the English Premier League table.

Argentinian international Tevez struck his 14th and 15th goals of the season while Ivorian brothers Kolo and Yaya Toure both netted as City took a slender one-point lead over Manchester United.

United, who also have three games in hand over City, will return to the top if they avoid defeat to fifth-placed Tottenham in Sunday’s crunch match at White Hart Lane.

Serbian midfielder Nenad Milijas had fired Wolves into a shock lead on 12 minutes, rifling home a rebound after a Matthew Jarvis cross.

City’s blushes were spared five minutes before halftime however when Kolo Toure controlled on the edge of the six-yard box and prodded a deflected shot past Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey.

And four minutes after the restart, City were in front, captain Tevez weaving his way through the Wolves defence before finishing calmly.

Yaya Toure made it 3-1 five minutes later, lifting his shot over Hennessey to join his brother on the scoresheet after good work by £27-million signing Edin Dzeko, making his debut for City.

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Manchester United and Manchester City drew their derby match 0 – 0 last night and Michael Essien scored for the Blues to beat Fulham 1 – 0.

Derided by United manager Alex Ferguson as “noisy neighbours”, mega-rich City failed to rattle the 18-times champions but were spared the agony of last season when they lost both league meetings to last-gasp goals.

While City and United huffed and puffed to little effect, champions Chelsea stole a march in the title race as Essien’s first-half goal proved enough to beat Fulham, although the Ghanaian blotted his copybook when he was sent off late on for a two-footed lunge at Clint Dempsey.

Essien was unmarked on the half hour to head in Salomon Kalou’s cross but Chelsea, beaten 2-0 at Liverpool on Sunday, were slapdash in front of goal and failed to kill off their west London rivals who have not won at Stamford Bridge since 1964.

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Manchester City‘s Mario Balotelli have accepted his red card and will miss Wednesday’s derby against Manchester United. City will appeal his statutory three-match ban.

Balotelli, who had already been booked, was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after appearing to kick out at Youssouf Mulumbu during Sunday’s 2-0 victory at the Hawthorns.

City claim the punishment is “excessive” for the severity of the foul and will have their appeal heard by the Independent Regulatory Commission on Tuesday.

The FA said in a statement: “The FA can confirm that Manchester City FC have today submitted a claim that, following the dismissal of Mario Balotelli for violent conduct, the standard punishment of an automatic three match ban is clearly excessive.”

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Liverpool‘s captain Steven Gerrard came off the bench and inspired his team last night with a hat-trick in the second half to see his team beat Napoli 3 – 1 at Anfield in their Europa League encounter last night in front of new owner John Henry.

Lech Poznan scored two late goals – one freakish and the other superb – to stun Manchester City 3-1 in the Europa League on Thursday while Juventus drew 0-0 with Salzburg for their fourth draw in as many group games.

CSKA Moscow and BATE Borisov became the first teams to guarantee a place in the knockout rounds, the Russians beating Palermo 3-1 to maintain their 100 percent record while the Belarus outfit beat Sheriff Tiraspol by the same score.

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