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  • Date:2007-10-20
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:City of Manchester Stadium
  • Attendance:45688
  • Referee:Dean, M

Live Commentary

90mins

Manchester City manage to hang on to their one goal lead to claim all three points against a hard working Birmingham side who perhaps may feel hard done by.

90mins

Ball drives forward with the ball and lays it off to Samaras who turns and shoots, sending it inches wide of the left hand post.

90mins

Birmingham are continuing to pile on the pressure but just can't find a way past this solid City defence.

90mins

Wilson Palacios swings in a corner toward the far post where the ball is meet by a good punch from Hart.

89mins

Liam Ridgewell tries to win the ball by going through the back of Elano and gets a yellow card for his troubles.

88mins

Manchester City's hero Blumer Elano comes off too a standing ovation and is replaced by Gelson Fernandes

87mins

Johnson is booked after pulling back de Ridder after the Dutchman had got away from him.

86mins

Garry O'Connor thinks he is away from the Man City defence but a last ditch tackle from Vedran Corluka prevents the Scottish internationals strike reaching the goal.

83mins

Garrido dives in with a late tackle on Schmitz and is booked for it.

82mins

Franck Queudrue tries his luck with a free kick from dead centre of the field 20 yards out but only sent it over the top of the cross bar

77mins

Stephen Ireland comes off and on comes Michael Ball to try and protect this lead.

77mins

de Ridder swings in a freekick from wide on the left which Hart comes to claim but drops it leaving the goal open for Jerome whose shot is cleared off the line as City survive.

77mins

Corluka gets himself a yellow card after losing possession and then cutting down Jerome with a badly timed tackle.

75mins

Garry O'Connor comes on as Birmingham add a second striker to the team as Medhi Nafti comes off.

73mins

Kapo does well to get inbehind the City defenc and fire a low ball in across the face of goal for Muamba to attack, the midfielder knocking it towards goal and forcing Hart to tip the ball onto his own post and away from danger.

72mins

Petrov smashes a freekick from 35-yards out, but gets his foot underneath it and sends it high into the stands behind the goal.

69mins

Petrov fires a long ball across the field for Elano who does well to control it before hammering it towards goal from 20 yards, but it flies just wide of Taylor's right hand post.

67mins

Wilson Palacios is booked after diving in the box, claiming Ireland had fouled him when the Irish midfielder clearly had not.

65mins

Samaras manages to squeeze a pass out from a challenge from two Brum defenders, the ball falling to Elano who strikes it on the half volley, sending it high over the bar.

64mins

Georgios Samaras comes on to replace Emile Lokonda Mpenza.

62mins

de Ridder knocks in a freekick from wide on the right into a crowded penalty area where Hart is forced to come through a crowd of players to get anything on it before Hamann can follow up and clear.

60mins

Corluka shows some really nice skill, taking it around three Birmingham defenders before trying to cut it back for Ireland but the Irish midfielders touch is poor and the visitors can clear.

58mins

Daniel de Ridder comes on for only his second appearance for Birmingham, replacing Gary McSheffrey.

57mins

Petrov continues to try his luck from long range and produces his best effort of the afternoon so far, this time forcing Taylor into a good save low down to his right.

56mins

Petrov swings in a freekick from City on the right and nearly finds Mpenza but the lone striker is out jumped by Schmitz who clears.

55mins

McSheffrey whips in another freekick from out wide, sending it towards the far post but its again dealt with really well by Hart who catches it easily.

50mins

This time the corner finds its way to the back post where Richards meets it, trying to knock it back across the face of goal but Taylor comes off his line to claim the ball well.

50mins

Petrov swings in a corner towards the near post and the ball avoids everyone and eventually Kelly has to turn it behind on his own goal line for another corner.

48mins

McSheffrey whips in the first corner of the half and finds Schmitz who gets up above Richards to win the header but can only send it over the bar.

46mins

Elano makes Kelly look foolish with a great display of skill and nearly finds Mpenza with the cross but Ridgewell does well to head it away.

45mins

Birmingham get the second half underway looking to level the scores and become the first team to come away from Eastlands with anything.

45mins

Manchester City lead at the break after Elano took one of the few chances created by both sides, Birmingham by no means out of it, making a few oppurtunities of their own.

45mins

McSheffrey swings in a freekick towards the near post where two Birmingham players fly in to challenge Hart who again deals with the set piece very well, catching the ball nicely under pressure.

45mins

The fourth official indicates there will be a minimum of two minutes of added on time.

42mins

Petrov receives the ball after it breaks from a tackle between Johnson and Nafti, Petrov striking it again from 30-yards but it’s an awful effort flying into the stands.

38mins

Birmingham respond straight away with Kapo doing really well to step past two City defenders before firing the ball low towards the bottom corner forcing Hart into a very good save a full stretch to push the ball away.

36mins

Elano opens the scoring for Man City with an inch perfect finish past Taylor after Corluka had done well to get into the area and cut the ball back for Elano.

33mins

Birmingham work the ball quickly to the other end of the field and finds Jerome who gets a snap shot away which is to close to Hart, the keeper holding the shot well.

32mins

Petrov takes the corner but before anyone can touch the ball Mike Dean blows his whistle and gives Birmingham the freekick for a push by Richards.

32mins

Petrov whips in a freekick low into the penalty area, nearly finding Dunne but Kapo sticks out a leg to touch it behind for a corner.

31mins

McSheffrey floats a good cross in towards the near post for Palacios who can't quite reach the ball before Corluka gets there and hammers it away.

28mins

Queudrue gets himself forward and drives a shot in on the half volley which takes a vicious bounces infront of Hart but the young goalkeeper is equal to it and holds on to the ball well.

25mins

Palacios takes another corner for Birmingham this time looking for someone at the far post but again Hart does well to catch the ball and releases it early again.

21mins

Birmingham catch Man City off guard with a long ball over the top for Jerome to chase who nearly makes it but Hart was quick off his line and claims the ball before Jerome slides into the young English goalkeeper.

20mins

Wilson Palacios floats in a corner which isnt great and its easily caught by Hart who bowls the ball out quickly to launch another City attack.

19mins

Petrov tries his luck from the corner of the penalty area, driving it over the bar when a cross towards Mpenza might have been the better option.

18mins

Jerome recieves the ball on the edge of the penalty area and lays it off to the on rushing McSheffrey who strikes the ball low and straight but its easily dealt with by Hart who saves and holds the ball.

16mins

The second corner comes in towards Dunne again who misses it again but this time Brum manages to clear the ball.

15mins

Petrov whips in the corner towards the near post which Dunne misses and arrives at the far post for Garrido who can't beat Kelly to the ball, the Irish defender knocking it behind for another corner.

14mins

Elano drives in a free kick from just left of centre which strikes the edge of the wall and takes a deflection, ending up going wide of the Birmingham goal.

9mins

Elano plays a brilliant ball through for Petrov who sprints onto it but the City midfielder just takes one touch too many giving Kelly the chance to slide in and knock the ball away.

8mins

Birmingham are just pumping a lot of long ball forward at the moment which are proving easy for the home side to deal with.

4mins

Nafti floats in the corner towards the near post where Garrido is forced to deal with it and knock it away as City repel the first corner of the game.

4mins

McSheffrey lays the ball back to the edge of the penalty area where Jerome strikes it cleanly towards goal but the on rushing Corluka deflects the ball behind for a corner.

3mins

Hamann toe pokes the ball back to Hart who hesitates at first and then picks up the ball resulting in Mike Dean giving the free kick inside the penalty area for a back pass.

1mins

Queudrue tries to launch a long freekick into the area from just inside the Manchester City haf but its a poor one and Dunne heads it away.

0mins

Mike Dean checks his watch and gets the game underway here at Eastlands with Manchester City taking kick-off.

0mins

Birmingham City XI: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Schmitz, Ridgewell, Queudrue, McSheffrey, Palacios, Muamba, Nafti, Kapo, Jerome

0mins

Birmingham are without defender Johan Djourou who picked up a hamstring injury whilst on international duty. Apart from that Steve Bruce has no new injury worries as he looks to halt Brum’s three game losing streak.

0mins

Manchester City XI: Hart, Corluka, Richards, Dunne, Garrido, Ireland, Johnson, Hamann, Petrov, Mpenza, Elano

0mins

Manchester City include Elano in their starting eleven despite the Brazilian representing his country in mid-week. Michael Johnson also starts after shaking off a groin problem.

Match Preview

Birmingham City will attempt to end Manchester City's five-match unbeaten run when they travel to Eastlands on Saturday.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's side have not lost since a narrow 1-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers at the beginning of September and are currently riding high in third place in the Premier League.

In their last outing before the international break, City were comfortable 3-1 winners over Middlesbrough in a game where freescoring midfielder Elano once again caught the eye.

The £8million summer signing from Shakhtar Donetsk helped himself to a brace to take his tally to three in two games.

On the back of their extended purple patch, Eriksson is unlikely to alter his side to any great extent, which means unhappy striker Rolando Bianchi is likely to be left on the bench should be recover from a groin strain.

The Italian striker recently revealed his disappointment at failing to hold down a regular starting place following his £9million arrival from Reggina.

Elsewhere, homegrown midfielder Michael Johnson is a doubt with a groin problem and could be replaced by Geovanni or Michael Ball.

Birmingham City return to action for the first time since manager Steve Bruce admitted he feared his days at St Andrew's could be numbered.

Speaking after the Blues' 2-1 defeat at Blackburn on October 7, Bruce claimed his long-term future was in jeopardy as the club's potential new owner, Carson Yeung, reacted coolly to a possible new contract for him.

"I have to say it doesn't look very good (for me) at the moment," he said. "I found out that the vibes coming back from the Chinese consortium were negative. I know where I stand, that's for sure."

Bruce's situation hasn't been helped by an indifferent start to their first campaign back in the top-flight which sees City hovering just one point above the relegation zone.

They've won just two league games all season and have lost their last two matches - 1-0 to Manchester United before the narrow loss at Ewood Park before the international break.

Lady Luck has also not been smiling on the Blues as they lost Spanish midfielder Borja Oubina just minutes into his league debut with a serious knee ligament problem.


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Match Report

Manchester City need not have worried about Elano being jet-lagged as the Brazilian produced another piece of magic in the Premier League victory against Birmingham City.

Elano had dashed back from South America, where he had played in a World Cup qualifier against Ecuador late on Wednesday night, to score another important goal for the home side.

Elano's strike, his fourth in three games, helped his side record their sixth successive home league victory, to maintain their splendid start to the season.

While the Citizens lacked the flair of recent weeks, they showed their battling qualities to grind out an important win against the well-organised and battling Birmingham side.

City had to be patient in a low-key opening as Birmingham, playing with a five-man midfield, set out to frustrate a City side which had scored nine goals in its last five league matches.

They eventually made the breakthrough in the 37th minute in controversial circumstances.

Birmingham were incensed when City's Michael Johnson escaped unpunished following a clear foul on Fabrice Muamba, as the home side immediately broke away to score as Elano fired home from the edge of the penalty area, with a well-directed shot.

Manager Steve Bruce, his coaching staff and players were furious, remonstrating with the referee's assistant, who was only yards away from the initial incident, but who failed to raise his flag.

Birmingham almost struck back immediately when Olivier Kapo made a marvellous weaving run through the City defence, only to be denied by a super stop from keeper Joe Hart.

The second half had a lacklustre start with chances created by either side few and far between, though Elano had a great opportunity to seal victory with 20 minutes remaining, but shot just wide of an upright.

It looked as though it may prove a costly miss as Birmingham produced a battling fight-back in the latter stages and were desperately unlucky not to draw level.

After a neat build-up down the left, Muamba had a near-post shot from close-range which struck keeper Hart, who knew nothing about the save he had made.

Moments later, there was another almighty let-off for City when Hart dropped a cross and Rafael Schmitz saw his lob towards an empty goal headed off the line by Micah Richards as City lived dangerously in the closing stages.

Manchester City

Birmingham City

Corners

67

Fouls

1712

Goal attempts

1213

Shots off target

85

Offsides

44

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