West Ham Utd 1 Manchester City
1 So that's it folks
Sunday 9th May 2010 : Paul Robinson for GYKO
at Upton Park
Shaun Wright-Phillips and Adam
Johnson pressed their World Cup claims by combining to earn
Manchester City a point against West Ham. England assistant coaches
Franco Baldini and Ray Clemence were in the stands to run their eye
over six potential summer stars ahead of Tuesday's 30-man
provisional squad announcement. Wright-Phillips' far-post header
from Johnson's cross drew Manchester City level after Luis Boa Morte
had put West Ham ahead on his return to the side after a year on the
treatment table. The two City wide-men caused West Ham problems all
afternoon while West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green and Matthew Upson
both acquitted themselves well.
Scott Parker was his usual tenacious self but Baldini will have left
disappointed by the contribution of Carlton Cole, who has been
troubled by a long-standing knee injury but hardly made any impact.
Parker had been tipped by West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola as the
ideal replacement should City midfielder Gareth Barry fail to
recover from an ankle injury in time.
Patrick Viera replaced Barry today while Sylvinho, Roque Santa Cruz
and Wright-Phillips all came into the team following the midweek
defeat to Tottenham, which had cost City a shot at Champions League
qualification.
Boa Morte was making his first West Ham start since the final game
of last season after finally recovering from knee ligament damage -
and he marked it with a delightful goal.
With nothing for either team to play for, the match had a relaxed,
end-of-term feel about it and led to an enterprising first half.
West Ham found some early space in behind Viera and Ilan almost
picked out Cole with a dinked ball over the City defence before Boa
Morte skewed a 25-yard shot wide.
Wright-Philips cut open the West Ham defence with a pass in behind
Julien Faubert but Sylvinho's whipped cross was just too high for
Santa Cruz.
Julien Faubert tested the City defence with a wicked free-kick,
which Vincent Company did well to clear at the last second, before
Alessandro Diamanti created the opening goal. The Italian's crafty
back-heel sent Boa Morte through on goal and the Portuguese
midfielder clipped the ball over advancing City goalkeeper Marton
Fulop.
But City hit back within three minutes with a far-post header from
Wright-Phillips - all 5ft 6in of him - after Johnson had dug out a
right-wing cross. Johnson was making the most of his opportunity to
impress and he drew strong penalty shouts from Manchester City after
cutting dangerously into the box. Johnson beat Daprela and Radoslav
Kovac before going down under a challenge from Upson but referee
Howard Webb was convinced the West Ham defender had got a toe to the
ball.
Diamanti worked space for himself outside the City box after a
driving run from Ilan and drilled a low shot which just clipped the
outside of Fulop's right hand post.
But City were soon back on the attack and Johnson, this time
attacking through the middle, teed up Emmanuel Adebayor who forced
Green into a smart reaction save. Santa Cruz met Johnson's
subsequent corner with a clean header and should have hit the target
from seven yards but his effort fell wide. Wright-Phillips caused a
scare for West Ham early in the second half when he cut in from the
left wing before trying his luck from 25 yards but the shot flew
harmlessly over.
Diamanti tried an acrobatic strike before Parker forced the ball to
Ilan, who found himself clean through on the keeper with an
excellent chance to put West Ham ahead but Fullop was quickly off
his line to block the shot.
Sylvinho jinked his way past two defenders and into the box but
Manuel Da Costa, one of West Ham's most improved players this
season, blocked his path. Santa Cruz rifled a shot over the bar
before Pablo Zabaleta's dangerous run into the box was also blocked
by Da Costa. Tevez received a standing ovation from the West Ham
supporters when he came on for Santa Cruz with 17 minutes remaining.
The Argentina striker almost marked his return with a goal but his
cute attempt to lift the ball over Green came down on the roof of
the net.
But the game had lost its spark and both sides rounded off their
seasons with a point.
Teams
West Ham Green, Faubert, da Costa, Upson, Daprela, Ilan,Parker,
Kovac, Boa Morte (Stanislas 64), Diamanti (Spence 87),Cole (Franco
64).
Subs Not Used: Kurucz, Gabbidon, McCarthy, Spector.
Booked: Boa Morte, Daprela.
Goals: Boa Morte 17.
Man City Fulop, Zabaleta, Toure, Kompany,Sylvinho (Richards 73),
Wright-Phillips, Vieira, De Jong,Adam Johnson (Cunningham 89), Santa
Cruz (Tevez 73), Adebayor.
Subs Not Used: Nielsen, Garrido, Boyata, Ibrahim.
Goals: Wright-Phillips 21.
Att: 34,989
Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Manchester City 0 Spurs 1
Second Best Again - For Now!!
Wednesday 5th May 2010 : GYKO at the COMSTAD
The fixture was a tough route
to the Champions League but Tottenham Hotspur negotiated it with
poise and purpose. Victory arrived when Marton Fulop pushed out a
Younes Kaboul cross to leave Peter Crouch with a simple header into
the net. Manchester City have been denied and the only consolation
lies in the wealth that can fund greater progress in the future. For
Tottenham this was a pivotal and deeply satisfying moment in their
history.
This struggle felt more intense than the contest of Chelsea and
Manchester United for the title itself. That was to be expected
since neither City nor Spurs had taken their place in the European
Cup since the 1960s. This match, with its frenetic nature, would
still not have been seen as preparation for the more studied games
that lie ahead for one of these clubs.
The early part of the night, for instance, was notable for a pair of
piercing runs that very nearly took Carlos Tevez clear on two
occasions. That type of individualistic effort became less common
and by the time the Argentinian fired into the side netting after 44
minutes, Gareth Barry, the colleague who had supplied him, would
surely have been exasperated by that attempt from a very tight angle
when the ball ought to have been cut back.
Tottenham competed effectively from the start and it was reassuring
for them that the captain, Ledley King, despite his knee condition,
was in shape to start successive matches at the heart of the back
four. Harry Redknapp's side had a second fillip as well. Aaron
Lennon started his first game since December and this appearance
will have come as a relief to the England manager, Fabio Capello.
The winger needed time to settle, but after 39 minutes he eluded
Craig Bellamy and Peter Crouch knocked his deep cross down for
Gareth Bale to put a first-time effort wide. Tottenham were frisky
and also, in the case of King, sneaky. He nodded home in the 20th
minute but only after levering himself up with an arm on the
shoulder of Barry. The referee, Steve Bennett, detected the crime.
No effort was spared here by almost desperate clubs. The decisions
grow more agonising at this time of the year. City had come through
a torpid goalless draw at the Emirates 11 days ago, when Roberto
Mancini kept three attackers in the line-up but then deprived the
trio of service because he had only defensive midfielders in the
centre of the pitch. It will take the final league table to tell us
whether the plan was wise then, but City were, of course, more
enterprising against Tottenham, with Patrick Vieira on the bench.
Given the sheer weight of expenditure and expectation at Eastlands
the pressure bearing down on Mancini must be more severe than that
on Redknapp. Tottenham had been professional and effective when
beating both Arsenal and Chelsea at White Hart Lane, even if they
then went down 3-1 at Manchester United.
It has to be remembered that sides whose target it is to come fourth
are, by definition, limited in scope. For that reason, this game was
intriguing since it was as much about handling the situation for
these sides as it was about dealing with one another. Scoreless as
the game was at half-time, neither City nor Tottenham could have
claimed they had exercised much authority.
City, with the greater need to win, were more forthright still
following the interval. It was an intense spell and Barry, for
instance, got himself so far forward that he was in place to knock
back a deep, inswinging cross from Adam Johnson on the right. There
was no one around to complete the move by scoring and Mancini's side
appeared to lack that attribute.
Jermain Defoe showed them a predatory touch in the 56th minute as
his effort with the outside of the right boot called for the
impressive save with which Fulop tipped the ball round the post. It
was difficult for City to maintain composure and there was also a
little disruption when the injured Barry , who had been doubtful for
this encounter with a hamstring injury, had to make way for Vieira.
Tiredness in the closing half-hour held out the best hope for the
studied football that might break the deadlock. Tottenham seemed to
have slightly more pattern to their work then and a driven cross
from Benoît Assou-Ekotto only just eluded Defoe and Crouch in front
of the posts.
Tottenham, who saw Crouch denied by a save after a Bale cross in the
77th minute, had handled the occasion with concentration and
purpose. All the same, each side was always just an inspired moment
away from an even more resounding result.
Manchester City 3 Aston
Villa 1
Almost There
Saturday 1 May 2010 : GYKO at the COMSTAD
Manchester City took a mighty
step towards claiming fourth place in the Premier League by
eliminating Aston Villa from the contest, just as Liverpool's faint
hopes of remaining involved were being all but extinguished by
Tottenham's win over Bolton.
The issue, as Roberto Mancini has been saying all along, is now
likely to be decided when City meet Spurs here on Wednesday,
although only an away win would settle the matter on the night. The
City manager has been repeating like a mantra that all his side need
to do is win their remaining games. That is still true – and this
was a highly encouraging start, although the awkward fact remains
that all Spurs need to do is win their next game. Any other result
on Wednesday would take the dispute to the last day of the season –
and those words always have City supporters fearing the worst.
Craig Bellamy's 89th-minute goal made sure of the points after Shaun
Wright-Phillips had exploited tired Villa defending with a break
from halfway. But it was City's other English winger who caught the
eye. The home side were indebted to two first-half contributions
from Adam Johnson on the right for overhauling an early Villa lead
with two goals in three minutes, a position from which they never
looked back.
Aston Villa sought to test Marton Fulop with a series of crosses,
but although the goalkeeper did look uncomfortable at times,
flapping at corners and spilling the ball, Manchester City's
defenders were generally alert to the threat - with the result that
very few of the deliveries actually found their target.
Fabio Capello sent Stuart Pearce to keep his eye on this game,
probably aware that Emile Heskey and Wright-Phillips would be on the
bench for most of the afternoon, and the scouting report should
suggest two instances of Johnson performing the basics to perfection
counted for more in the end than the muted input of Gabriel
Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and Stewart Downing. Even James Milner
struggled to make a telling impact, for all his willingness to run
himself into the ground.
"Johnson is still young, but he will be an important player next
year, for Manchester City and maybe for the national team as well,"
Mancini said. "We are very pleased with him and, of course, we are
pleased with this result.
"We deserved to win and now we have a massive game against Tottenham
that we must win – but I think Tottenham will find it difficult to
come here as well. Villa are a good side, they were not an easy team
to beat."
Villa must have been slightly perplexed to find themselves trailing
at the interval, given that they scored first, created most of the
shooting opportunities in the first half and struck the bar in the
frantic two-minute period between the two City goals. "We were in
command and playing exceptionally well until the penalty," Villa's
manager, Martin O'Neill, said. "It was a fantastic effort. We chased
the game all day and, if we have come up short again, we have still
won more points this season than last. It's a tough old league and,
with City and Spurs both stronger this season, it is not getting any
easier."
Making his City debut on emergency loan, the goalkeeper Marton Fulop
made a somewhat unfortunate contribution to Villa's opening goal.
Like Kolo Touré, he reacted a fraction too late to Downing's
diagonal pass and, though John Carew did not break any speed records
either, by the time Fulop arrived the gentlest of shots was already
being lifted past him. "Marton was a little nervous at first, but
that was understandable," Mancini said. "He will be OK on Wednesday,
the game might be a little more quiet."
With Downing and the impressive Milner both shooting narrowly wide,
Villa looked likely to go further ahead, particularly as City's best
hope seemed to be winning a penalty. Carlos Tevez had two first-half
claims turned down; one when he was cleanly dispossessed by Richard
Dunne and the other after his optimistic shot struck Stephen Warnock
on the arm when the defender was too close to get out of the way.
The referee made the correct decision on that occasion, only for
Warnock's luck to run out 10 minutes later, when Johnson's close
control and deft switch of direction caught him flat-footed. Warnock
resisted one rash challenge, then ran out of patience and clipped
Johnson's heel anyway, leaving Mark Clattenburg with no option but
to point to the spot. Tevez scored an emphatic, if unconvincingly
placed, penalty and Villa came back down the field to see Carew's
shot hit the woodwork.
City had found the way through, however, and more Johnson trickery
on the right enabled them to take the lead two minutes before
half-time. Emmanuel Adebayor's off-balance strike was nothing to
write home about, but even when falling backwards he could hardly
miss once Johnson had taken out Downing to roll the ball invitingly
across the face of goal.
The second half was mostly a story of City wasting their few chances
of putting the game to bed, with Bellamy, Tevez and Adebayor
threatening on the break, yet failing to find a decisive finish.
Villa were competitive in midfield, but blunt in attack, and the
match was petering out until the fresh legs of Wright-Phillips made
a difference, the substitute skipping away from Carlos Cuéllar's
challenge to leave Bellamy enough space to beat Brad Friedel at his
leisure.
Mancini suggested Liverpool would still be in the hunt if they beat
Chelsea this afternoon, but, unless something extraordinary happens,
he is surely mistaken. Someone new will be in next season's
Champions League and, on Wednesday, with a bit of luck and a lot of
effort, City for me will be one step nearer to that dream.
Teams:
Man City Fulop, Zabaleta, Toure, Kompany, Bridge,Adam Johnson
(Wright-Phillips 77), De Jong, Vieira, Bellamy, Adebayor, Tevez
(Richards 88).
Subs Not Used: Nielsen, Onuoha, Santa Cruz, Garrido, Sylvinho.
Booked: Kompany.
Goals: Tevez 41 pen, Adebayor 43, Bellamy 89.
Aston Villa Friedel, Cuellar, Collins, Dunne,Warnock (Heskey 74),
Downing, Petrov, Milner, Ashley Young,Carew (Delfouneso 74),
Agbonlahor.
Subs Not Used: Guzan, Luke Young, Sidwell, Reo-Coker, Beye.
Booked: Petrov, Collins.
Goals: Carew 16.
Att: 47,102 Ref: Mark Clattenburg
(Tyne & Wear).
Arsenal 0 Manchester City 0
Bore Draw at the Emerates
Saturday 24th April 2010 : Ian Harwood for
GYKO at the Emerates
Arsenal all but secured third
place in the Barclays Premier League after Champions League-chasing
Manchester City held them to a goalless draw at the Emirates
Stadium.
Much of the pre-match hype had surrounded the return of former
Gunners striker Emmanuel Adebayor, but he was left on the bench by
City boss Roberto Mancini - before being introduced to resounding
jeers early in the second half.
Arsenal had the better of possession, yet only tested Shay Given a
couple of times before the City keeper went off with a suspected
broken shoulder.
There were a few expected boos as Adebayor made his way to the
visitor's dugout before kick-off, while by contrast his fellow
former Gunners Kolo Toure and Patrick Vieira were both well received
by the home supporters.
Arsenal threw away any hopes of getting back into the title race
last weekend when they blew a 2-0 lead in the last 10 minutes to
lose at Wigan, while big-spending City were looking to overtake
Tottenham - who earlier lost at Manchester United - in the chase for
that coveted final Champions League qualifying slot.
Robin van Persie has been sorely missed by the Gunners, and
captained the side on his home return following five months out with
a knee injury.
The Dutchman almost made an instant impact when he burst into the
City box before Toure came across to make a blocking tackle.
There was a brief stoppage when City defender Wayne Bridge - who
made himself unavailable to watching England manager Fabio Capello
for the World Cup in the wake of the John Terry saga - needed
treatment for a thigh problem.
The full-back was, though, soon in the action again, sprinting down
the left wing, only to be beaten to the ball by Theo Walcott - who
will be doing his best to get on the plane to South Africa.
City were, however, forced into a change on 27 minutes, when Bridge
was replaced by Micah Richards - himself just fit again following a
four-match absence with a knee injury.
Samir Nasri was then flagged somewhat dubiously offside after
latching onto van Persie's through-ball.
Arsenal continued to press, and Walcott skewed his first-time effort
as the ball dropped at the edge of the City area.
Nasri's angled shot following a wonderful take down by van Persie
brought the first meaningful save from Given.
At the other end, a crunching tackle from veteran Sol Campbell
blocked Vieira as the former Gunners captain burst into the penalty
area.
After a low-key opening to the second half, the introduction of
Adebayor on 52 minutes was greeted by a cacophony of boos - despite
manager Arsene Wenger having called for the former Togo striker to
be shown the same respect as all old players. Vieira was clapped
off, the home fans delivering a clear message to their one-time star
man Adebayor, who left for City in a £25million summer move.
With the temperature raised, there was a flashpoint when Craig
Bellamy and Song squared up, with referee Mike Dean calling the
respective captains together in an attempt to restore calm to what
had been a well-contested but not overly physical game.
Rosicky drilled a low shot from 18 yards straight at Given after a
neat one-two with Nasri as Arsenal upped the pace again.
Adebayor capitalised on a slip from Silvestre to dart off down the
left, but ran the ball out - much to the delight of the home fans.
City were having a much better spell, and continued to press Arsenal
back.
Substitute Nicklas Bendtner flashed a low cross through the six-yard
box, before Diaby created space to shoot from 25 yards.
Given tipped wide at full stretch but appeared to have damaged his
shoulder and, after several minutes of treatment, was carried off on
a stretcher taking in oxygen. Faroe Islands goalkeeper Gunnar
Nielsen replaced him for an unexpected debut.
Bellamy was booked for tripping Bendtner and Van Persie followed
after a late sliding challenge on Adebayor as City broke quickly.
It was becoming a busy afternoon for Mr Dean, as Pablo Zabaleta was
also shown a yellow card for stepping across Eboue and conceding a
free-kick some 25 yards out. Van Persie chipped his effort over the
wall, but just inches wide of the top right corner.
There were some eight minutes of stoppage time, during which neither
side were able to find a winner.
Manchester City 0 Stretford
Utd 1 Another Bad Derby Day
Saturday 17th April 2010 : GYKO at the COMSTAD
Paul Scholes' last-gasp goal
stunned Manchester City as Manchester United caused their neighbours
more injury-time heartbreak at Eastlands.
After Michael Owen's winner in the sixth-minute of stoppage time at
Old Trafford in September, there were just 20 seconds of the three
additional minutes left this time around as Scholes rose
unchallenged to head home Patrice Evra's left-wing cross from 10
yards.
It was an amazing finish to a game that seemed destined to end
goalless.
For Scholes, who signed a one-year contract extension on Friday, it
was his 149th Red Devils' goal and the perfect way to retain the
outside title hopes United still cherish.
Yet again after a meeting with the team they are so desperate to
usurp, City must lift themselves off the floor after suffering the
most shattering of blows, still believing a Champions League place
can be theirs.
After his appearance against Bayern Munich 10 days ago, it was
hardly a surprise that Wayne Rooney should declare himself fit after
just a single day's training.
But the prospective PFA player-of-the-year looked ill at ease,
repeated rants at referee Martin Atkinson and a petulant kick at
Nigel de Jong belied his mood.
Rooney appeared tentative, he declined to set up Ryan Giggs when he
had the chance to do so, and there was no real conviction behind his
only decent opportunity of the opening period, when Antonio Valencia
forced the ball into the area.
Having beaten Kolo Toure with a deft piece of skill, the goal opened
up for striker, who had scored 34 times before his unfortunate ankle
injury.
He dragged the effort wide though, which only increased his
frustration, his contribution eventually brought to an end 15
minutes from time when he was replaced by Dimitar Berbatov.
Rooney's attack on De Jong might have been revenge for a thunderous
challenge from the Dutchman on Patrice Evra, which set the tone for
an opening period high on energy but low on goalmouth incident.
A bulldog of a midfielder, De Jong gave United little time to settle
on the ball, and though the visitors had plenty of possession, much
of their passing was of a sideways variety.
Only Antonio Valencia looked as though he could cause the Blues
significant problems.
Having escaped a penalty-box handball that went unseen by Atkinson
and, apparently, the entire United team, returning full-back Wayne
Bridge was undone by the Ecuador man just before the break.
Valencia squeezed a cross through to the near post where Giggs was
alert enough to make contact, but lacked the power to beat Shay
Given with a low flick.
For their part, City seemed to have more movement but invariably ran
into a defensive brick wall.
Against his old club, Carlos Tevez curled an early free-kick towards
the top corner only for Edwin van der Sar to make an excellent save.
It turned out to be the sum total of first-half efforts on goal from
Roberto Mancini's men, a fizzing low cross from Craig Bellamy not
much to enthuse about considering his team had scored 11 times in
their last two outings.
The was no discernable improvement - either in the overall quality
or Rooney's temper - in the opening minutes of the second-half.
It did Rooney no credit at all that when he was kicked by Vincent
Kompany, he rolled around in apparent agony then jumped to his feet
and ran off without a problem once the yellow card had been
brandished.
The problem for United was that with their bulwark at less than full
throttle and Valencia their only source of pace, they were reliant
on guile alone to open City up.
City had more speed and a flowing move, started by Emmanuel Adebayor
and inevitably involving Tevez, ended when Craig Bellamy crashed a
shot into the side-netting.
Shortly afterwards, the Blues had a penalty appeal turned down.
Gareth Barry could be accused of making too much of minimal contact
by Gary Neville. There was certainly contact though, and not with
the ball on Neville's part.
The crowd were still digesting that incident when Giggs got on the
end of a long ball beyond the City defence and would have been clean
through if he had not been confronted immediately by Given, whose
goal was threatened by Berbatov with a deft header shortly
afterwards.
It then took the interventions of Nemanja Vidic and Darren Fletcher
to ensure a goalmouth scramble caused by Van der Sar's ill-advised
charge to meet a cross did not ended in disaster for the visitors.
This flurry of activity gave the impression of a game finally
heading somewhere. It took Scholes to find the map.
Teams
Man City Given, Onuoha, Kompany, Toure, Bridge, Adam Johnson (Vieira
65), De Jong (Ireland 78), Barry, Bellamy, Tevez, Adebayor
(Wright-Phillips 74).
Subs Not Used: Nielsen, Zabaleta, Santa Cruz, Boyata.
Booked: Kompany, Adam Johnson.
Man Utd Van der Sar, Neville, Vidic, Jonathan Evans, Evra,Fletcher,
Scholes, Gibson (Nani 59), Valencia (Obertan 80),Rooney (Berbatov
74), Giggs.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Carrick, Rafael Da Silva, O'Shea.
Booked: Evra.
Goals: Scholes 90.
Att: 47,019
Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
Manchester City 5 Birmingham
City 1 There's Only One City
Sunday 16th April 2010 : Dylan Hough for GYKO
at the COMSTAD
Roberto Mancini saw his
Manchester City side warm up for the derby in devastating style.
But perhaps more importantly for the Italian manager they cemented
fourth place in the Barclays Premier League table, which brings the
reward of a Champions League slot.
Nedum Onuoha scored his first league goal of the season and Emmanuel
Adebayor also weighed in with a brace.
With Carlos Tevez scoring his 27th of the season from the penalty
spot and also getting a touch to Onuoha's header to score his 28th,
City secured a comfortable victory.
They have now scored 14 goals in the last three games which will put
them in good heart for the match against Manchester United on
Saturday.
Guest of honour at the game was former City goalkeeper Bert
Trautmann, 86, who broke his neck in the victory against Birmingham
in the 1956 FA Cup final.
He saw City dominate the first half and Adebayor found the side
netting after being released by Tevez, who was looking for the
return pass.
Birmingham again found themselves on the back foot after 14 minutes
with Tevez firing wide following good link up play involving Craig
Bellamy and Adebayor.
The visitors then got themselves in a muddle at the back but
Adebayor could not take advantage and failed to test Maik Taylor.
City maintained the momentum and Adebayor turned quickly in the area
after 33 minutes only to see Roger Johnson and Taylor combine to
block his shot.
Five minutes later Tevez made the breakthrough with his 27th goal of
a remarkable first season at the club.
The Argentina striker scored from the penalty spot after Scott Dann
was adjudged to have bundled over Adebayor.
Tevez stepped up and sent Taylor the wrong way with his effort to
put City in the driving seat.
They went 2-0 ahead in the 40th minute when Onuoha was left unmarked
as Adam Johnson swung in a corner. The full-back thought he scored
with a firm downward header and wheeled away in delight but Tevez
got the last touch before the ball crossed the line.
However, Birmingham pulled a goal back two minutes later with
Cameron Jerome heading home following a cross from James McFadden.
City responded immediately with Adebayor making it 3-1 in the 43rd
minute when he got on the end of Bellamy's delivery with Taylor out
of position.
They almost extended their lead in the 50th minute after Onuoha got
on the end of a free-kick from Bellamy but saw his header go over
the bar.
Play switched back down the other end and Keith Fahey should have
scored when Shay Given failed to deal with a cross but the striker
headed wide.
Tevez then squandered a good opportunity in the 60th minute after
Bellamy had put Roger Johnson under pressure.
The ball broke to the City striker and he raced on only to get a
heavy touch and Taylor was able to gather it up.
Birmingham were making a decent fist of it, however, and Fahey
rattled in a shot that was blocked by Given's legs.
Then Tevez thought he had scored in the 64th minute only for Taylor
to claw away his excellent free-kick from 20 yards.
Tevez saw his close range effort parried by Taylor in the 71st
minute but Bellamy spooned the rebound into the crowd.
City went further ahead in the 74th minute with Onouha shrugging off
a couple of half-hearted challenges before sending a shot beyond the
despairing Taylor.
Birmingham were being stretched and Adebayor secured his brace two
minutes from time after running from deep before beating Taylor.
Teams
Man City Given, Onuoha, Kompany, Toure, Garrido,Adam Johnson
(Cunningham 90), De Jong, Barry,Bellamy (Wright-Phillips 80), Tevez
(Santa Cruz 87), Adebayor.
Burnley 1 Manchester City 6
The Real City Turn Up
Saturday 3rd April 2010 : DerekBaileyfor GYKO at Turf Moor
Manchester City ran riot
against palsied Burnley to climb above Tottenham into fourth place
in the table, where they are now favourites for the final Champions
League place – the least the cash cow they call Sheikh Mansour was
prepared to settle for this season. Encouraged by Spurs' defeat at
Sunderland, City seized the initiative from the kick-off and rattled
in five goals before half-time against relegation ragbags who have
won one game and lost 12 out of 14 under Brian Laws's benighted
management.
There was a lot of water on the pitch, and a lot has flowed under
the bridge since Burnley beat Manchester United and Everton in their
first two home matches after Owen Coyle brought them up into the
Premier League. Saturday's trip to Hull may be the classic
six-pointer, but on this evidence Laws and his journeymen are
destined for an early return whence they came.
Carlos Tevez, whose hat-trick accounted for Wigan on Monday, added
his 26th goal of the season with a tap-in, but was outscored by
Emmanuel Adebayor, with two. The others came from Craig Bellamy,
Patrick Vieira and Vincent Kompany. It was 6-0 before Steven
Fletcher lifted the ball over the advancing Shay Given for a token
reply after 72 minutes. The outcome was settled before the match was
seven minutes old, by which time City were three goals to the good,
and the Burnley players, and their suffering supporters, were
thoroughly demoralised. It cannot be too often that a home team are
booed while latecomers are still filtering into the ground, but that
is what happened here. After 20 minutes, at 4-0, some were already
heading for the exits.
The result was scarcely a surprise, but the way of it will have
jeopardised Laws's tenure. It was all the more distressing for the
Claret-clad crowd after the encouragement provided by Hull's latest
defeat in the relegation scrap, against Stoke. On this showing,
however, Burnley are beyond help. They have learned the hard way
that in football, as in most things in life, you get what you pay
for, and that it is false economy to recruit a manager on the cheap.
Laws may have played for Forest, but he has never pulled up any
trees in management, at Grimsby, Scunthorpe or Sheffield Wednesday,
who sacked him in December. Doncaster's Sean O'Driscoll, who was
also in the frame, would have been much the more progressive choice.
Laws always seemed an uninspired replacement for Coyle, and the
Burnley players have been duly uninspired.
They were dreadful here, their defence an embarrassing shambles from
the start. City could hardly believe their luck. For them, it was
like a training session, playing unopposed.
The first goal came after 66 seconds, Adebayor driving in from 12
yards after Adam Johnson's corner from the left had found Burnley's
defenders awol. It was 2-0 in the fifth minute, when Tevez found
Bellamy, who bisected Leon Cort and Michael Duff with ease before
sliding the ball low, inside Brian Jensen's left-hand upright.
The third, in the seventh minute, was the product of a handling
error by Jensen, who failed to hold Adebayor's shot, leaving Tevez
with a tap-in. After that, Burnley held out for all of 13 minutes
before another Johnson corner was headed in firmly by Vieira, whose
marker, Danny Fox, ducked obligingly at the crucial moment.
Four goals down, Burnley belatedly stirred themselves, creating
chances of their own, but the die had long since been cast, and City
scored a fifth just before the interval, when a through pass from
Tevez took Burnley's back four out of the game, enabling Abedayor to
run on unattended before beating the ludicrously unprotected Jensen
with a crisp finish from 12 yards. Tevez had shivered a post, and it
could easily have been far worse by half-time.
Watching the equivalent of fish getting shot in a barrel has only
limited appeal, and the attention was easily diverted. Sven-Goran
Eriksson was among the VIPs. With another bill for those lucrative
services of his at Eastlands? No, in his latest incarnation as
manager of the Ivory Coast, checking on André Bikey, who was among
the Burnley substitutes.
Kompany got in on the act after 58 minutes, heading in another
Johnson corner unchallenged. Thereafter, standing water on the pitch
inhibited City as much as Burnley, who finally produced an
inconsequential goal of their own, from Fletcher.
Their run-in is problematical, featuring a Manchester derby, Arsenal
away and games against Aston Villa and Spurs, but after scoring nine
in a week City approach it with confidence brimming.
