“We will fight to the very end as usual”
, Kun Aguero – 05/03/2016.
Goals; Y Touré (48'minutes), Agüero (50'minutes, 60'minutes), Sterling (66'minutes)
Line Up (4-4-2);Hart, Sagna, Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy, Navas, Toure (A.Garcia 80'), Fernandhino, Silva (Iheanacho 70'), Bony (Sterling 62'), Aguero
Stats;Possession, 71%/29%; Shots, 19(9)/1(1); Fouls, 10/10
Referee; Lee Mason
Line Up (4-4-2);Hart, Sagna, Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy, Navas, Toure (A.Garcia 80'), Fernandhino, Silva (Iheanacho 70'), Bony (Sterling 62'), Aguero
Stats;Possession, 71%/29%; Shots, 19(9)/1(1); Fouls, 10/10
Referee; Lee Mason
At half time at the Etihad, my mind drifted back to the same fixture two seasons ago, as City in their penultimate game of the EPL Season needed to find their way past a stubborn Villa defence fighting for its own survival in the league. After a goalless first half, City then as now ended up 4-0 winners, the most memorable of the goals being Yaya Toure's lung busting box to box run, to lash the final goal into the Villa net. On that cold Wednesday night it was patience, and a little extra tempo and guile, which turned the game, provided by Jovetic. Today was no different, except the tempo and guile was provided by three City stalwarts who were already on the pitch, Aguero, Silva, and Toure, rather than a super sub. Sometimes games of football cannot be rushed.
The first half had not been difficult for City, save for a familiar story of a team parking the bus at the Etihad, and the lack of the tempo needed to break it down. City finished the half with 80% possession and a pass accuracy of 91%, but statistics like this have not this season won football matches, just ask Leicester! So when Guzan got his hand to a left footed shot from eight yards from Aguero on 18', and Bony failed stunningly to get onto a glorious infield long pass from Clichy on 32' nerves started to creep in, for the fans if not for the players.
But the second half was a different affair altogether. City were set on their way by Kun Aguero, on City's right, his pace taking him to the byline where he reversed the ball for Silva who picked out Yaya across the box, right foot, slight deflection, 1-0 after 47'. Barely had the crowd quietened from the release of nervous energy, when two minutes later, Aguero popped up again, this time to latch onto a sweet through ball from Bony, the ball actually rebounding off Aguero from Richards' attempted clearance for his 20th goal of the season, 2-0.
Two more chances had come and gone, when Silva and Aguero linked up on 60' for Aguero to chest the ball down and strike low into the bottom left of Guzan's goal, the finish was truly world class, and was worthy of any game at any level. Sterling replaced a lacklustre Bony on 59', and seven minutes later, the relentless Navas had provided the cross for the youngster to put the game beyond doubt, 4-0.
The game could have produced eight or nine goals for City. The best remaining chance being from Iheanacho (on for Silva) winning a penalty on 71', only for Aguero to crack the ball against the right post. 4-0 it finished and with Spurs and Arsenal dropping points it was just what City needed to tentatively move back into the title race.
@l0ngwayfr0mh0me
