Aguero at the double as City trounce West Brom

11 April 2012 22:17

Two goals from Sergio Aguero were the highlight of a dominant 4-0 win by Manchester City over West Bromwich Albion as Roberto Mancini's team slashed Manchester United's lead at the top of the Premier League to five points.

Carlos Tevez, starting a City game for first time since September 21, also scored his first goal of the campaign while David Silva added a fourth as the title challengers capitalised on United's surprising defeat at struggling Wigan.

The trauma of the previous six games, which had seen City collect just eight points and lose crucial ground to United in the title race, created a subdued atmosphere around Eastlands before kick-off although matters improved as the home side took an early lead.

And by the end of the contest, those City supporters were firmly believing that, with five games remaining including a Manchester derby at home, their team is firmly back in title contenion.

The first goal came from Aguero, his 18th league goal of a productive campaign, who collected a pass from Samir Nasri just inside the West Brom half of the field.

The Argentinian forward surged, unimpeded, all the way to the edge of the penalty area where, with defenders backing off, he planted an accurate right-foot shot into the bottom corner of the goal.

It was the sort of start City needed after recent dramas surrounding the club in general, and Mario Balotelli in particular, and, in the absence of the controversial Italian, Tevez was starting to look a threat.

After 12 minutes, he exchanged passes with Aguero before unleashing an 18-yard shot that sailed over the cross-bar as City maintained their dominance.

It took until the half-hour mark for West Brom to concern City with Simon Cox penetrating behind the home defence only for his cross to elude team mate Shane Long, an attack quickly followed by a hopeful Keith Andrews shot which Joe Hart saved with the minimum of effort.

It was a brief respite.

Tevez soon played in Richards who rounded keeper Foster but saw his shot cleared off the line by Craig Dawson and Silva opened the second half with a determined right-wing run and far-post cross which was met by Nasri whose first-time volley passed a few feet wide of the left-hand upright.

Nasri also threatened from distance and, as news filtered through from Wigan that leaders United were losing, Aguero doubled his team's lead as the title race took what may yet prove to be a pivotal twist.

West Brom were again guilty of poor defending, wasting at least two chances to clear a City attack on the edge of their area before Nasri took control and poked through an expert pass which Aguero deposited past the dive of Foster.

The crowd roused itself as first a Richards cross caused panic in the Albion defence, Aguero's header was cleared off the line by Youssouf Mulumbu and, just after the hour, City were three goals to the good.

Nasri again played a key role, his pass through the square Albion defensive line sending Gareth Barry to the by-line where he pulled the back for Tevez to covert emphatically from a dozen yards.

The game was a rout and it took City just three more minutes to score a fourth after Albion lost possession just inside their own half and Aguero sparked a counter-attack, resulting in a pass to Silva who lifted a text-book finish over the body of the advancing goalkeeper.

Tevez was substituted - to a standing ovation from City supporters - but the chances kept coming. Aguero might have claimed his hat-trick but headed just over at full-stretch and a cross from sub Adam Johnson had to be saved well by Foster.

Source: AFP