Another Premier League fixture for Manchester City, another three points and a boat-load of goals. Sounds like it was an easy day at the office for the Blues but, in the first half, it was anything but.
Changing the lineup again from midweek, Pep set up his side like this: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Mendy, Fernandinho, Sane, DeBruyne, Silva, Sterling and Aguero.
Space in the opposition half was at a premium, as you might expect. The closest City went to taking the lead was through Sakho, whose header hit the post. In fact, early on, Palace were also a threat. Any side with Benteke in can cause defenders problem, the guy is strong and can hold up play for reinforcements.
After 24 minutes a coming together between Benjamin Mendy and Andros Townsend saw the Frenchman issued a yellow card. Injuring himself during the tackle will be worse news though, especially with the next two games in mind.
Soldiering on for another few minutes he was eventually substituted 5 minutes later for Danilo. We wait for an update, but he will almost certainly miss the Champions League game on Tuesday along with the visit to Chelsea next Saturday.
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It just wasn’t clicking for City. Final balls were loose and shots were being blocked. Aguero, chasing the goal-scoring record, was uncharacteristically off target. The game was being slowed down at ever opportunity, especially by their goalkeeper. It got so bad that Pep was even talking to a ball boy in the 39th minute. No doubt he was insisting they speed up their game in order to speed up the one on the pitch.
Finally the break through did come, and it was right before half-time. A patient build up and flick from David Silva found Sane. His first touch took him past Scott Dann and his second buried it from a tight angle.
With the half time whistle following shortly afterwards City went in ahead. The score-line now reflecting, a little better, what the twelve shots and 68% possession implied. In fact, a tweet from Darren Lewis of the ‘Mirror’ just prior to the goal poked fun at the expectations City fans had going in.
If the first half was a struggle, the second was simply sublime. A double from Raheem Sterling before the hour mark, saw the game quickly put to bed. The first was a fantastic break away goal which saw the young English International finish smartly. Aguero and Silva combined for a one,two with Hennessey doing well to put it out for a corner. It was from that corner that Sterling scored his second.
With the ball recycling out from the initial corner DeBruyne located Aguero wider in the box than usual. The Argentinian squared to Raheem who will not have an easier finish all season, 3-0. Sane could have made it four seconds later, but Hennessey again came to the rescue.
From then it was Palace who had a good spell with around twenty minutes left. Hodgson will be pleased with that, although he did lose Benteke to injury during that period, his knee heavily bandaged from a previous knock.
Bernado Silva came on for Raheem Sterling just past the hour mark while Stones made way for Delph a few minutes later. Kyle Walker moved to center back, Danilo went to right with Delph on the left, although realistically everyone is an attacker at this point.
Sane was booked with fifteen minutes to go as he protested at a no penalty call. Certainly he had a claim for it to be a penalty with the Palace man firmly hold of Sane’s arm until he went down. Even Pep was bemused at the no call, with the fourth official getting a dramatic re-enactment of the incident.
Sergio would get his goal, putting him just one behind Eric Brook with a little over ten minutes to go. Another patient build up saw a fantastically weighted cross from Sane find Aguero’s head. It really was a case of the cross finding the head, with the Argentinian not even having to move.
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There was enough time for, what I consider, the goal of the game. So many passes before Silva lays the ball to Delph. Fabian got the ball out from under his feet, took a touch before unleashing the shot. A curling effort from just outside the box into the top corner, hitting the bar down and in. Goals always look better when they hit the bar or post and in I feel.
So the game finished comfortably with 72% possession. City had twenty-five shots with nine on target, converting more than half. Sane did get the Man of the Match but really it could have gone to any number of the City players. Fernandinho was, once again, fantastic in front of the back line. Aguero scored one and set up another with SIlva and DeBruyne always contenders.
Next up, Shakhtar, and maybe a new record scorer?