Source: Telegraph
Portsmouth 0 Manchester City 1: match report
Footballers don't exactly repay their transfer fees but with a third goal in three Premier League games, Emmanuel Adebayor is suddenly looking pretty much value for money at £25 million. [LNB]His first-half strike broke Portsmouth's resistance, condemning them to a fourth straight league defeat of the season and propelling City ahead of Manchester United and into third place in the table. [LNB]How they will love that at City, but they will also enjoy, during a summer in which money has sloshed around, that the expensive components of Mark Hughes' squad are quickly coming together. [LNB]This was an impressive, hard-working performance with City solid in defence - bolstered by Joleon Lescott's Premier League debut - and fluid in attack. [LNB]They went ahead just after the half hour with Adebayor rising powerfully, after easily losing his marker, the new Portsmouth captain Aaron Begovic, to head Gareth Barry's corner beyond stand-in goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. [LNB]The Canadian was only playing because David James was ruled out through injury, still suffering from heavy bruising to his leg, although talk persists that the England international is about to be reunited with Harry Redknapp at Tottenham Hotspur and become the latest to join the Fratton Park exodus. Maybe with Niko Kranjcar following Luka Modric's injury? [LNB]There have been plenty of arrivals also at Portsmouth, and debuts for Tommy Smith and Michael Brown, as manager Paul Hart hastily tries to reassemble a squad capable of remaining in this league. [LNB]This all took place in front of the man fronting Portsmouth's new owners, Sulaiman al-Fahim, who sat in the director's box wearing a home shirt - with his name and No 77 on the back - and baseball cap. [LNB]He had also been involved in the Abu Dhabi takeover of City last year, before his links were severed, and will have been encouraged by Portsmouth's display, before falling behind, with loanee Frederic Piquionne leading the line well and striking the side-netting after being played onside by Kolo Toure. [LNB]A second goal was, wrongly, ruled out for City when Barry was given off-side, even though it was Micah Richards who turned in Craig Bellamy's cross, while Adebayor brilliantly tricked his way past Younes Kaboul and Smith only for Begovic to parry his side-footed shot. [LNB]Portsmouth didn't capitulate. But rarely did they threaten either until, with just four minutes to go, substitute David Nugent missed a gilt-edged chance. [LNB]With his first touch he chested down Brown's cross, taking him back inside Pablo Zabaleta and leaving him with just Shay Given to beat. [LNB]From five yards he scuffed his shot and it struck the goalkeeper on the chest. It would have changed the complexion of the contest and, possibly, Portsmouth's season. [LNB]Portsmouth[LNB]Manchester City [LNB]
