Manchester City 3 Wigan Ath 0  Tevez Guns Down Wigan
Monday 29th March 2010 : GYKO at the COMSTAD

 Whatever his other attributes as a manager Roberto Mancini is certainly in possession of a vivid imagination. "I want the players to treat every game like it's a Champions League final," was his motivational message before this game, some going when you've got Wigan Athletic at home on a wet Monday night.

Manchester United fans can insert their own punchlines at this point if they wish. At least City scored for the first time in three home games and picked up a victory to move back into fifth, though only after Wigan had seen Gary Caldwell harshly dismissed and thrown in a goalkeeping blunder to lead to the first of Carlos Tevez's three goals for good measure. It was a long way from a Champions League final and so, at the moment, are City.

Mancini's exhortations to treat every match as if it were a final were also slightly undermined by his own team selection, with Gareth Barry and Craig Bellamy on the bench. Both may have been glad of the rest, though Bellamy in particular would have relished running at Wigan's defence.

Wigan began somewhat dozily, with Mohamed Diame and Hendry Thomas, their two holding midfielders, forgetting how to hold on to the ball. Diame gave it away to Patrick Vieira first, obliging Titus Bramble to block Emmanuel Adebayor's shot from a Tevez cross. Then Thomas cut out the middleman and gave the ball straight to Tevez, who supplied Shaun Wright-Phillips on the right and met the return in front of goal to force a point blank save from Vladimir Stojkovic.

Tevez was the liveliest attacker on show and almost had a reward for his efforts just before the half-hour when he cut inside Mario Melchiot and curled in a shot from a narrow angle that was only a foot or so wide of the post. Then he caught Bramble in possession and tried to play in Wright-Phillips, only to see Thomas arrive quickly to shepherd the ball back to Stojkovic. Wigan's first-half attempts amounted to fairly tame shots from distance by Paul Scharner and Hugo Rodallega, though Shay Given had to look sharp and dive to his left to keep out a snapshot on the turn from Scharner after a free-kick had rebounded from the wall.

Tevez had a penalty appeal waved away just before the interval when he appeared to get tangled with Caldwell rather than be deliberately brought down by the defender, though rather disappointingly, especially with a nervous reserve goalkeeper on duty for Wigan, that was about the sum of City's attacks.

Wigan grew bolder as half-time approached, so few problems were City causing. Scharner was miles over with the eventual shot from a sweeping move involving Rodallega and Marcelo Moreno, though there was a small but significant cheer from the visiting fans at the sight of Diame showing Vieira the ball in the middle then nonchalantly carrying it past him.

Mancini sent on Bellamy for the second half, to cheers of approval, even though it meant Wright-Phillips having to make way. He may also have recommended peppering Stojkovic a little more, but when Tevez opened the second half with a shot the goalkeeper could only parry, Adebayor was offside when he tucked away the rebound.

Rodallega shot wide with more time than he probably realised at the other end, before Wigan were reduced to 10 men just before the hour when Caldwell was dismissed for bowling over Tevez with a studs-raised tackle. If Stuart Attwell objected to the studs his decision to produce a straight red could be defended, though Caldwell objected with some justification that he had played the ball and not the man. While he may not have played as much of the ball as he hoped, Tevez was only skittled by his trailing leg, not by his studs.

Even with 10 men Wigan had a great chance to take the lead when Moreno shot narrowly wide, though by the time the emergency centre-half Scharner got away with two clumsy fouls on Tevez in the area in quick succession they were beginning to live dangerously. The City breakthrough arrived all too predictably through a goalkeeping error, Stojkovic appearing to believe Vieira's lofted ball forward into the area was a back pass from one of his own players, and allowing Tevez to steal in instead of claiming the ball for himself. There was no way back for Wigan after that, and further sloppy defending from a corner three minutes later allowed Tevez a close-range second. A rather more impressive third soon followed, the Argentinean cutting in on the right and placing the ball neatly into the corner.

Teams:

Man City Given, Zabaleta, Toure, Kompany, Garrido (Onuoha 88),Wright-Phillips (Bellamy 46), Vieira, De Jong, Adam Johnson, Tevez (Sylvinho 88), Adebayor.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Richards, Santa Cruz, Barry.

Booked: Garrido, Zabaleta, Tevez.

Goals: Tevez 72, 74, 84.

Wigan Stojkovic, Melchiot, Caldwell, Bramble, Figueroa,McCarthy, Diame, Thomas (N'Zogbia 52), Scharner,Rodallega (Scotland 81), Moreno (Gohouri 81).

Subs Not Used: Moses, Pollitt, Gomez, Sinclair.

Sent Off: Caldwell (56).

Booked: Scharner, Bramble.

Att: 43,534

Ref: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).

Manchester City 0 Everton 2    Another Blue No Show
Wednesday 24th March 2010 : GYKO at the COMSTAD

Rival managers Roberto Mancini and David Moyes were involved in a touchline bust-up as Everton dented Manchester City's Champions League qualification hopes.

Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta were both on target as fast-finishing Everton snatched a victory at Eastlands that denied City fourth place in the Barclays Premier League.

City had dominated most of the game and the pressure on boss Mancini was evident as tensions spilled over when he and Moyes clashed in injury time. Mancini took exception to Moyes picking up a ball, apparently interpreting the Scot's action as an attempt to waste time.

It needed fourth official Howard Webb to intervene and referee Peter Walton sent both managers to the stand.

Yet Everton boss Moyes will have cared less after watching his side maintaining their stunning late charge for a European place.

The Toffees have lost just twice in 17 games while City, having apparently reasserted themselves as favourites for fourth place, let a golden chance slip.

Mancini had made three changes for the game with Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland and Nigel de Jong coming in and Pablo Zabaleta filling in at left-back for the injured Wayne Bridge.

Everton made two with fit-again top scorer Louis Saha replacing Ayegbeni Yakubu and Leon Osman coming in for Victor Anichebe.

Everton had a worrying moment early in the game as Steven Pienaar appeared to hurt his neck in a heavy, but fair, challenge from Richards.

The South African required treatment but was fit enough to continue.

City's Carlos Tevez was booked in unusual circumstances after nine minutes as he dived towards Phil Jagielka in an attempt to block a cross but caught the Everton defender.

After a slow start, City first threatened after 13 minutes as Kolo Toure burst forward from the back but Sylvain Distin dealt with the danger.

Osman then had an opportunity for Everton but volleyed well wide.

City pieced together a good move with Zabaleta crossing for Richards to force a save from Tim Howard with a firm header.

The hosts gradually began to assert their authority and Howard needed to be alert to prevent the onrushing Tevez getting in a shot from Ireland's pass.

Moments after thinking he might have had a penalty for a push in the area, Tevez was awarded a free-kick on the left.

After Craig Bellamy's initial cross was cleared, Adam Johnson clipped the ball back into the box for Tevez but the Argentinian failed to make firm contact.

But Tevez continued to look dangerous and charged past Distin into the area on another break, only for Jagielka to get a foot in.

Everton replied with Cahill firing narrowly over and then winning a free-kick on the right.

Arteta took the set-piece quickly and laid off for Leighton Baines to whip in a cross for Cahill to turn in for the opener with a trademark header.

City suffered a further blow before the break as Ireland was forced off injured and was replaced by Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Everton had the first serious opportunity of the second half as Osman's long-range effort was deflected wide.

Cahill then went close to adding a second as Walton played advantage following a crunching tackle on Arteta by Zabaleta.

The midfielder picked up possession on the edge of the box and, having spotted Shay Given off his line, attempted a chip but his delicate effort floated wide.

Mancini responded by introducing the additional firepower of Roque Santa Cruz in place of Johnson and that appeared to spark a prolonged spell of City pressure.

Richards got clear, only to shoot well wide, and Wright-Phillips was also off-target after Santa Cruz left a Zabaleta cross to the England international.

City continued to pile forward but Everton coped well by blocking a Bellamy shot and clearing a number of crosses.

A brilliant turn by Tevez in the area then looked to have opened Everton up but again Howard was quick to smother at his feet.

After withstanding the bombardment, Everton enjoyed some respite as John Heitinga got forward and had a long-range shot deflected over.

City came back with Vincent Kompany threading through a fine ball for Santa Cruz but, off balance, the former Blackburn striker shot over.

The hosts then paid for their profligacy as Everton stole forward again to secure victory with a breakaway goal five minutes from time.

Substitute Jack Rodwell burst down the left and turned inside Kompany before pulling back into the box for Cahill, who sensed Arteta rushing behind and dummied for the Spaniard to score.

Tevez battled on for City but had another good run blocked by Jagielka.

The game was not quite over as trouble broke out between the managers on the touchline in injury time.

Teams

Man City Given, Richards (Vieira 75), Toure, Kompany,Zabaleta, Adam Johnson (Santa Cruz 57),Ireland (Wright-Phillips 41), De Jong, Barry, Bellamy, Tevez.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Onuoha, Garrido, Sylvinho.

Booked: Tevez, Given, De Jong.

Everton Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Osman,Heitinga, Arteta (Yobo 90), Pienaar, Cahill, Saha (Rodwell 72).

Subs Not Used: Nash, Hibbert, Bilyaletdinov, Gosling, Yakubu.

Booked: Heitinga, Pienaar.

Goals: Cahill 33, Arteta 85.

Att: 45,708

Ref: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).
 

Fulham 1 Manchester City 2    It's a Capital Show 
Sunday 21st March 2010 : Ian Harrop for GYKO at Craven Cottage

Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez earned victory at Craven Cottage to maintain his side's Champions League hopes and give Fulham a European hangover.

The hosts still had their famous victory against Juventus fresh in the mind when they found themselves behind to Roque Santa Cruz's opener, with Tevez then extending the lead before the break in the Barclays Premier League clash. Fulham are comfortable in mid-table and boss Roy Hodgson illustrated his is Europa League and FA Cup priorities by taking off key players - but Danny Murphy pulled a goal back from the penalty spot and they could have snatched a point.

With Liverpool defeated at Old Trafford, City now move above Rafael Benitez's side and know their destiny is in their own hands - if they win the rest of their games they will be in the top four. Their victory came despite Joleon Lescott suffering a hamstring injury in the warm-up and Javier Garrido getting drafted in but Mancini's makeshift defence was protected well by Gareth Barry and Patrick Vieira, with the Frenchman making his first start since returning from a three-match ban for violent conduct.

Fulham fans were still buzzing from their victory over Juve and almost had more to sing about after coming close to scoring just before City's opener in the seventh minute. Damien Duff lofted a cross to the far post where Bobby Zamora headed back and Zoltan Gera touched over Shay Given, only for Kolo Toure to acrobatically clear off the line.

The visitors retained the ball and sprung a counter-attack, with Tevez feeding the ball to Craig Bellamy on the right flank. The Welshman's tame shot flicked the heels of Aaron Hughes, struck the post and bounced over Mark Schwarzer, allowing Santa Cruz to poke home as Dickson Etuhu closed in. It was his fourth goal of an injury-hit season and his first under Mancini, who was rewarded for fielding an attacking line-up against a team that had only lost once at home since September. Their formation often looked like 4-2-4 when they had the ball.

Tevez had tested Schwarzer twice in the first half, the first with a powerful drive that looked set for the bottom corner and then after Paul Konchesky had carelessly given the ball away in a dangerous area. He then doubled the lead nine minutes before the break, finishing off a flowing move that started from Pablo Zabaleta at right-back. Tevez nut-megged Murphy then found Bellamy, whose floated return pass from the left flank found his team-mate one on one against centre-back Chris Smalling. It was a case of Manchester United past versus future, with the Argentina forward cutting inside Old Trafford-bound Smalling before finishing crisply past Schwarzer.

Hodgson clearly had one eye on Wednesday's FA Cup quarter-final replay against Tottenham as he took off Zamora and Gera early in the second half, with Clint Dempsey and Stefano Okaka coming on to try to get the hosts back in the game.

City, however, looked likely to add to their lead. Adam Johnson laid on a chance for Santa Cruz that Schwarzer parried, then Johnson cut inside from the right wing and fired a shot that struck the post. Bellamy was also found by Johnson unmarked in the penalty area and had time to chest the ball under control - but his finish went wide of Schwarzer's upright.

The game appeared to be drifting towards a routine City victory until Lee Probert, with the help from his assistant, awarded a penalty for Barry allegedly handling Chris Baird's cross from the right, a very dubious decision by the referees assistant.

Murphy sent Given the wrong way with the penalty to set up a tense finale, with Okaka missing a straightforward chance to equalise and Probert turning down another spot-kick appeal when Vincent Kompany appeared to handle.

Teams:

Fulham Schwarzer, Baird (Riise 80), Hughes, Smalling,Konchesky, Duff, Murphy, Etuhu, Davies, Gera (Okaka 55),Zamora (Dempsey 52).

Subs Not Used: Zuberbuhler, Kelly, Shorey, Greening.

Goals: Murphy 75 pen.

Man City Given, Zabaleta, Toure, Kompany, Garrido,Adam Johnson (Wright-Phillips 84), Vieira, Barry,Bellamy (Onuoha 90), Tevez, Santa Cruz (De Jong 79).

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Richards, Ireland, Sylvinho.

Goals: Santa Cruz 7, Tevez 36.

Att: 25,359

Ref: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
 

Sunderland 1 Manchester City 1      Late Late Show
Sunday 14th March 2010 : Damian Spellman for GYKO at the SOL

Local boy Adam Johnson returned to haunt Sunderland as Manchester City snatched a dramatic equaliser on Wearside to maintain their Champions League hopes.

The substitute, who turned down a January move to the Stadium of Light to head for City instead, came off the bench to level in stoppage-time and finally end the home side's stubborn resistance.

It was hard luck on Black Cats goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who pulled off five fine second-half saves, three of them from Newcastle old boy Craig Bellamy, to protect the lead given to his side by Kenwyne Jones' ninth-minute header.

Sunderland were within seconds of clinching back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since December 2008, a run of 48 games.

However, they were warmly applauded from the pitch by a crowd of 41,398 after very nearly adding City's scalp to those of Liverpool and Arsenal five days after ending their 14-game winless league run against Bolton.

The visitors, who have a game in hand on fourth-placed Tottenham, are now just two points adrift, but they came desperately close to leaving empty-handed despite rallying well after a dismal first-half display.

Having assessed the enviable resources at the disposal of opposite number Roberto Mancini in the run-up to the game, Black Cats boss Steve Bruce had nevertheless pointed to Real Madrid's midweek Champions League exit as evidence that money alone cannot guarantee success.

It was a message which appeared to have got through to his players as they set about the task of building upon Tuesday's 4-0 demolition of Bolton in confident style.

They got their noses in front within nine minutes when Jones rose majestically to power in a header from Steed Malbranque's pinpoint cross, and rarely looked like surrendering their lead as a City side packed with expensively-acquired attacking talent drastically under-achieved.

Their dominance was all the more impressive as Bruce, who has only just started to enjoy a little respite from the injury crisis which has blighted his defenders in recent months, found himself short of midfielders.

Lee Cattermole's lingering hamstring problems and Lorik Cana's suspension left him with Kieran Richardson, who has himself been struggling with a calf injury, and largely untried youngster David Meyler as a central pairing.

However, both men seemed to be galvanised by the challenge of meeting Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry head on as the Black Cats took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Jones was a constant threat, as was the pace of leading scorer Darren Bent, while wide men Malbranque and Fraizer Campbell made life distinctly uncomfortable for Micah Richards and Wayne Bridge, who was replaced by striker Roque Santa Cruz with 33 minutes gone.

The Paraguayan's introduction added his goalscoring prowess to a side which already included Carlos Tevez, Bellamy and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

However, none of the four saw enough of the ball to do any real damage with Sunderland defending tigerishly, and it was Barry who came closest to restoring parity with a 31st-minute snapshot which whistled inches wide of the post.

Sunderland were forced into a reshuffle at the break when Jones failed to re-appear and was replaced by midfielder Jordan Henderson, who took over from Campbell wide on the right as he joined Bent in attack.

But whatever Mancini had said to his players at the break seemed to have done the trick as they returned in determined fashion.

Three times inside the opening seven minutes of the half, Gordon had to make vital saves, keeping out efforts from Santa Cruz, Wright-Phillips and Bellamy in quick succession after being left exposed by his defenders.

Barry and Meyler earned themselves a ticking-off from referee Chris Foy after an angry confrontation off the ball, and the temperature was rising all the time.

Mancini replaced his other starting full-back, Richards, with vastly-experienced midfielder Patrick Vieira with 64 minutes gone, but it was Bellamy and Tevez who almost dragged his side back into it with 20 minutes remaining.

The Welshman drilled in a low cross from the right which the Argentinian prodded towards goal, only for Gordon to block with his legs from point-blank range.

Bellamy might have equalised himself twice inside the last 10 minutes, but lost out in one-on-one battles with the Black Caps goalkeeper on both occasions.

But there was nothing the Scot could do to keep out Johnson, the former Middlesbrough winger curling a long-range effort high over his out-stretched arm into the top corner to snatch two points from Sunderland's grasp.

Teams:

Sunderland Gordon, Hutton, Turner, Mensah, Ferdinand,Campbell (Bardsley 83), Richardson, Meyler,Malbranque (Zenden 76), Jones (Henderson 46), Bent.

Subs Not Used: Carson, McCartney, Da Silva, Kilgallon.

Booked: Meyler, Gordon.

Goals: Jones 9.

Man City Given, Richards (Vieira 64), Kompany, Lescott, Bridge (Santa Cruz 32), Wright-Phillips (Adam Johnson 72),Zabaleta, De Jong, Barry, Bellamy, Tevez

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Ireland, Sylvinho, Toure

Booked: Tevez, Richards, Wright-Phillips, Barry

Goals: Adam Johnson 90

Att: 41,398

Ref: Chris Foy (Merseyside).