Unbeaten Manchester City powered on at the top of
the Premier League with a crushing defeat of Norwich
at the Etihad Stadium.
• Points matter more to Platt than goals
Sergio Aguero gave Roberto Mancini's men a half-time
lead before Samir Nasri and Yaya Toure made certain
and substitutes Mario Balotelli and Adam Johnson completed
the rout.
Norwich were outplayed for most of the game but did
claim a consolation 10 minutes from time with a Steve
Morison header.
It was a quick return to winning ways for City after
last week's draw at Liverpool and took their impressive
league goalscoring tally to 48 after 14 games.
Mancini made eight changes after their midweek Carling
Cup quarter-final win at Arsenal but defender Kolo Toure
was surprisingly retained ahead of Joleon Lescott.
Nasri, making his third successive start, also kept
his place and responded with an influential display,
linking well with Aguero and David Silva throughout.
Edin Dzeko, the third City player to stay in the side
after Tuesday, had the game's first opportunity after
two minutes when he dragged a shot across goal from
distance.
Wales striker Morison had a chance for Norwich early
on when the ball bounced kindly for him on the left
but he also missed the target.
He failed to make the most of another opening when
he raced clear in the 10th minute as Joe Hart came out
to force him wide and Kolo Toure got back to clear.
After that scare, City began to step up the pressure
with Dzeko getting in another attempt but having to
settle for a corner.
Aguero, who had earlier shot at Ruddy, then spurned
a glorious chance when he volleyed over from seven yards
from a Nasri cut-back.
Dzeko again had Norwich back-tracking when he nutmegged
Russell Martin 40 yards out and charged to the edge
of the box but Marc Tierney deflected his shot wide.
City's opener eventually came in the 32nd minute after
Anthony Pilkington failed to cut out another Richards
break.
Micah Richards closed in on goal and then pulled back
for Aguero, who showed nimble footwork to turn past
Leon Barnett and poke the ball through a crowded goal
area to score his 13th of the season from six yards.
Aguero could have had a second moments later after
Yaya Toure won the ball in midfield and set up Nasri
to cross but the former Atletico Madrid man again fired
over.
Despite that home superiority, Norwich had a chance
to equalise two minutes into the second half as Elliott
Bennett chased a long ball.
Bennett had chance to shoot but opted to go round the
advancing Hart and took the ball too far wide, from
where he could only shoot over.
Norwich paid the price for that miss as the impressive
Nasri doubled the home side's advantage after 51 minutes,
although it is doubtful the Frenchman meant it.
Nasri got lucky when he floated a free-kick into the
box from the left and the Norwich defence left it to
run through to Ruddy.
The goalkeeper was slow to react and was unable to
claw it out as it bounced in front of him and crept
in at the far post.
City immediately threatened a third as Silva cut in
from the right but Ruddy made a fine double to keep
out his shot and Aguero's attempt on the rebound.
The resulting corner found its way to Gareth Barry
but the England midfielder could not keep his shot down.
City's third came in the 68th minute as Nasri came
short to play a one-two with Silva at a corner and the
Spaniard fed Yaya Toure on the edge of the box.
The midfielder nonchalantly allowed the ball to come
across his body and curled in a low shot at the far
post.
Nasri was removed moments later as Johnson was sent
on and Mancini also decided to withdraw Aguero soon
after. Balotelli, who was sent off against Liverpool,
took his place.
Victory was all but a formality but City, having conceded
in their previous six league games, were again unable
to keep a clean sheet as Norwich replied.
Morison was the man on target, rising at the back post
to plant a firm header past Hart from a corner.
The hosts restored a three-goal advantage two minutes
from time as Yaya Toure played in Johnson, who turned
to square for Balotelli in front of goal.
Ruddy palmed out the Italian's initial effort but it
looped up into the air and the striker calmly nudged
it over the line with his shoulder.
There was still more to come and City added a more
emphatic gloss to the scoreline in injury time as Johnson
placed a low shot past Ruddy.
|
