Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester City 3 Lech Poznan 1: Hat-trick hero Adebayor feels Rooney factor
[LNB]The most controversial of transfers may still be some way off, but it would appear Wayne Rooney is already having a positive effect on Manchester City. [LNB]Because if talk of the Old Trafford talisman crossing the Manchester divide has got City's current crop of strikers worrying about what the future might hold, it certainly raised Emmanuel Adebayor from his slumber last night. [LNB] Behind you: Emmanuel Adebayor was left unmarked to head home his second[LNB]The Togo forward had done little tojustify his �25million price tag and inflated wages since arriving fromArsenal last year. Indeed, he had not scored since May 1 and manythought that could have been his last goal in a City shirt after asummer spent agitating for a move. [LNB]But handed the striker's role inplace of captain Carlos Tevez last night, and surrounded by speculationthat Rooney could be set to join his former United team-mate atEastlands, Adebayor responded with a hat-trick of real quality tocement top spot in Group A for Roberto Mancini's side. [LNB]Mancini said: 'It was an excellentperformance from Manu. It was very important for us and for him becausestrikers need to score. It's important for Manu he finds a way to playwell for the team, and he could play against Arsenal on Sunday now. [LNB]'He and Tevez can play together. Usually my teams play with two strikers. But this was a good day for Manu and for the squad.' [LNB]Adebayor's first goal brought aribald, rhyming chant from the stands that began: 'If Rooney's right 'but that was about the only mention of the United man. [LNB] Hat-trick hero: Emmanuel Adebayor makes the game safe for City with his third[LNB]These are early days. It is too soonto taunt their rivals, too early to risk singing the name of a playerwho might, just might, perform a dramatic U-turn and sign a newcontract with their reviled neighbours. [LNB]So by the Rooney rule of thumb, canCity match the ambitions he claims United cannot? They certainly havethe money. And surely they will soon be leaving the Europa Leaguebehind, given the players at Mancini's disposal. [LNB]MATCH FACTS MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Hart 6; Richards 6, Boyata 6, Lescott 6, Zabaleta 7 (Bridge 84min); Vieira 7, De Jong 6; Wright-Phillips 6 (Jo 77), Silva 7 (Y Toure 75, 6), A Johnson 6; Adebayor 8. Subs not used: Given, Kompany, Milner, Tevez. [LNB]LECH POZNAN (4-4-2): Buric 5; Kikut 6, Bosacki 5, Arboleda 6 (Djurdjevic 70, 5), Henriquez 5; Peszko 7, Injac 6, Drygas 6 (Rudnevs 55, 6), Wilk 5 (Stilic 55, 5); Krivets 6, Tshibamba 7. Subs not used: Kotorowski, Gancarczyc, Zapotoka, Wichniarek. Booked: Bosacki. [LNB]Man of the match: Emmanuel Adebayor [LNB]Referee: Alexandru Dan Tudor (Rom) 6. [LNB]Like Sir Alex Ferguson 24 hoursearlier, he also made changes but this was by no means a weak Cityside. In came Adebayor and Patrick Vieira. Hardly B-team material.Maybe it was the prospect of a more important meeting with Arsenal -the fixture which last season saw Adebayor banned for raking his studsdown Robin van Persie's face and running the length of the pitch tocelebrate in front of Gunners fans - or a pre-match tribute to formermanager Malcolm Allison, but the atmosphere inside Eastlands seemedsubdued. [LNB]At times the 6,000 fans who turnedout to offer Poznan noisy support made it feel like a home game for thePolish side, even though they were temporarily silenced by two goalsfrom Adebayor inside 25 minutes. [LNB]The first followed a sublime pieceof skill after 13 minutes. Vieira slid a pass towards the edge of thearea and Adebayor left Bartosz Bosacki chasing shadows with anexquisite dragback before slipping the ball beyond keeper Jasmin Buric.[LNB]It was a wonderful moment from the striker and a glimpse of what he can do when he puts his mind to it. [LNB]His second after 25 minutes wasequally clinical and also required hard work - a quality that hashardly been his hallmark at City. [LNB]Adebayor got a flick to Joe Hart'slong kick downfield and then turned to race towards goal, anticipatinga cross into the middle. Vieira again played a part, knocking the ballwide to David Silva on the right, and his pass picked out the bigstriker, who rose to guide a header into the bottom corner.[LNB] This was far from a procession forCity, however. The Poles threatened throughout and were well worth thegoal that came their way five minutes after half-time. [LNB] Noisy Backing: More than 8,000 Lech Poznan fans turned out[LNB]Adam Johnson gave away possession onthe left flank and Joleon Lescott was slow to close down SlawomirPeszko as he latched on to the loose ball. Peszko went down under thedefender's challenge but referee Alexandru Tudor waved away Poznan'spenalty claims and, in the scramble that followed, Joel Tshibabmaburied his shot past Hart from 12 yards. [LNB]But this was Adebayor's night, andhe rounded off a fine hat-trick in the 73rd minute. Silva was involvedagain, taking a pass from Shaun Wright-Phillips and curling a wonderfulball into the path of his striker, who met it with a first-time finishwith his right foot. [LNB]Maybe they don't need Rooney after all.[LNB] Wayne Rooney summit: Manchester United decide striker's fate as Patrice Evra leads dressing room backlashBale joins Puskas, Law, Santa Cruz and Vieri in the pointless hat-trick club [LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Alex Ferguson, Robin Van Persie, Joleon Lescott, Patrick Vieira, David Silva, Adam Johnson, Carlos Tevez, Wayne Rooney, Emmanuel Adebayor, Shaun Wright-Phillips Places: Manchester
