Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester City 4 West Brom 2: Boos don’t bother City boss Hughes
[LNB]Daniel Sturridge is congratulated after scoring Manchester City's fourth goal[LNB]Winning over the Manchester City owners may be Mark Hughes' main worry, but his approval rating with an occasionally hostile support continued to be a cause for concern at Eastlands.[LNB]An enthralling attacking spectacle, hailed by losing boss Tony Mowbray as 'English football at its best', may have kept City on the trail of a European place but could not prevent more cries of 'You don't know what you're doing'.[LNB]The subject of City fans' ire this time was the 74th-minute withdrawal of Elano and it came just seven days after similar condemnation for Robinho's demotion to the bench for the 3-1 defeat by Fulham.[LNB]Hughes chose his words carefully as he said: 'Perhaps it does need a bit of understanding from the supporters because there are times players have to be protected for their own good.[LNB]'They want their favourites to stay on, but if they could see Elano now, they might realise why we took him off. He is sitting there in the dressing room with ice packs all over his body. Like a lot of the lads, he was out on his feet.[LNB]'They all used up such a lot of energy against Hamburg on Thursday night - physically, mentally and emotionally - that it has inevitably taken its toll.[LNB]'Elano played really well, but we were all aware on the bench that he was beginning to struggle.[LNB]'I don't want to put players at risk towards the end of a game, when there is a danger of them suffering serious injury. Players have to be protected at this key stage of the season. It is a balancing act between that and gaining the points to secure a European place.'[LNB] Elano scores City's third goal from the penalty spot[LNB]Robinho may have been in need of a rest against Fulham, but there was a spring in his step as he tested Scott Carson with an early angled drive and followed up with an accomplished finish for City's eighth-minute opener.[LNB]Mark Hughes often looked frustrated despite City's 4-2 win[LNB]The Brazil forward did not even break his stride as he met Stephen Ireland's cross with a first-time volley.[LNB]City's second, in the 20th minute, was less clear-cut as Abdoulaye Meite headed an Elano corner high into the air, and Carson was impeded by Felipe Caicedo as he went to claim it.[LNB]The West Bromwich keeper looked on in dismay as Nedum Onuoha headed in and he chased referee Mike Jones all the way to the halfway line in a fruitless attempt to have the goal overturned.[LNB]Chris Brunt reduced the arrears with a 37th-minute finish and levelled with a free-kick that left Shay Given flatfooted in the 54th minute.[LNB]Parity lasted only seconds as Elano tumbled over a Jonas Olsson challenge in the area and picked himself up to win a battle of wits with Carson, who positioned himself by a post then gradually edged towards the middle of goal as the City midfielder stepped forward.[LNB]Elano could not resist a jubilant gesture towards the keeper after sending him the wrong way, then Daniel Sturridge converted a selfless Ireland pass in injury time to round off a win that all but condemns West Brom to the drop.[LNB] Manchester City 4 West Bromwich Albion 2: All the action as it happenedMANCHESTER CITY FC
