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  • Johnson, M (43)
  • Date:2007-08-15
  • Kick-off:19:45
  • Venue:City of Manchester Stadium
  • Attendance:43620
  • Referee:Mason, L

Live Commentary

91mins

Man City edge a 1-0 win against newcomers Derby as Sven-Goran Eriksson's revolution continues. A game of few real chances was lit up when youngster Michael Johnson let fly with an unstoppable 25 yard screamer

89mins

The fourth official indicates 3 mins of added time

88mins

A big cheer goes up for Elano from the home fans as he leaves the field to be replaced by Emile Mpenza

87mins

Elano breaks for City as Derby push on for an equaliser but his cross is cut out by Oakley

85mins

City are closing the game out by slowing the pace as they look for their second win in a week

83mins

Howard shows his frustration by throwing the ball away at a City freekick

81mins

Earnshaw and Howard both offside as Derby look to break for an equaliser

79mins

Mears makes a brilliant clearance from Bojinov's cross for a City corner

78mins

Goalscorer Johnson is booked for a rash challenge on Earnshaw

77mins

City striker Valeri Bojinov comes on for the tired looking Bianchi

77mins

Jay McEveley on for Todd as Derby go for a 4-4-2 formation

76mins

Geovanni outruns Griffin and his pinpoint cross is cleared by the Derby defence

75mins

Geovanni thunders a freekick at one of his own players

74mins

Great bit of skill by the impressive Elano results in Todd bringing him down

72mins

Eriksson brings on Deiberson Geovanni for Petrov

71mins

Davis, recovered from his injury, volleys clear for Derby as Elano dinks a pass into the box

69mins

Davis is in trouble after Bianchi accidently leaves his studs in

67mins

It's a straight swap as Earnshaw replaces Fagan for Derby

66mins

Both set of players are showing signs of tiredness as the game lacks quality

64mins

Hamann is booked for a foul on Mears

63mins

The game becomes scrappy as Earnshaw warms up on the touchline for Derby

62mins

Elano finds space on the left of the Derby box but his cross goes straight into the hands of Bywater

60mins

Good build-up play from Pearson but his cross is disappointing and sails out for a goalkick to City

59mins

Ireland hits a 30 yard fizzer that Bywater does well to hold

57mins

Fagan fends of Richards with a great turn of pace and drills a shot across goal but Schmeichel does well to tip clear of the advancing Howard

56mins

Brazilian Elano strikes a sweet shot for City that Bywater collects at the second attempt.

53mins

Petrov tries to thread a ball through to Elano on the edge of the Derby box but Davis does well to cut the pass out

51mins

Bianchi races clear from Davis' sliced clearance but the Derby centreback recovers well and clears the danger

49mins

Corner to Derby as captain Oakley centres for Howard but the big striker heads over the bar.

48mins

Good move by City as Corluka's cross finds Bianchi but the Italian places the ball straight at Bywater

47mins

Teale's first touch puts Derby in trouble and Mears is forced to clear for a throw

45mins

Jones is replaced by Gary Teale as Derby look for a more attacking formation

45mins

City kick off the second half having scored their first home goal since New Year's Day in the first 45

45mins

In an even and sometimes drab contest, one moment of magic from Johnson gives City a 1-0 halftime lead

44mins

Petrov booked for a late challenge on Fagan as Derby advance

43mins

Goal for City: Johnson wriggles free on the edge of the box and a one two with Elano results in the youngster hitting a 25 yard shot into the top corner with the outside of his boot. Bywater had no chance.

41mins

Elano swings a cross-field pass to Petrov but the impressive Mears heads it back to Bywater

39mins

Best chance of the game as a poor defensive header from Dunne leaves Pearson through on goal but he decides to take the ball around Schmeichel and the rookie keeper is able to make the save

37mins

Great skill from Elano as twists the Derby midfield inside and out and then nutmegs Todd

35mins

City fans scream for a penalty as Mears appears to handle the ball in the area but the ref waves away the appeal.

33mins

Elano swings a freekick to the back post for City but keeper Bywater takes the ball unchallenged

32mins

Ireland advances with the ball and tries a cheeky chip over Bywater but the ball is hit too hard

31mins

Jones' shot is charged down by the City wall but the away fans think the wall advanced too quickly

30mins

Griffin's low cross is cleared by City but Jones is hacked down on the edge of the box for a dangerous Derby freekick

29mins

It's 766 minutes since City scored a home goal...and it looks like home fans could be waiting even longer at this rate

28mins

Oakley concedes a freekick after a foul on Johnson but Elano's chip into the box goes straight to Bywater in the Derby goal

26mins

Jones lets rip with a great left foot shot that hits the City post - but the ref blows up for handball

25mins

Dunne gets himself in trouble as he tries to flick a ball over Fagan's head and concedes a freekick

24mins

Pearson scuffs a freekick straight into the City wall from a good position

22mins

Derby are playing some nice one touch football but Fagan's flicked pass to Oakley is too strong

21mins

Johnson skips pass two Derby challenges and unleashes the best shot of the match but his 25 yarder goes inches over the bar

19mins

Petrov takes advantage of Mears being out of position but his cross to Johnson is headed weakly at Bywater

18mins

Bywater collects an inswinging corner from Petrov

17mins

Ireland's pass is cut out by Todd for a corner to City

16mins

City break with Johnson but his pass to Elano is intercepted by the impressive Mears

14mins

Both sides are trying to create chances but quality in the final third is missing

13mins

Derby's custard coloured away kit is the only thing catching the eye in a quiet start to the game

10mins

Petrov makes a darting run through the Derby midfield but Davis expertly cuts out his through ball for Elano

9mins

Petrov's shot is cleared by Davis for City's first corner of the game

8mins

Vedran Corluka is nudged off the ball by Griffin to win a freekick for City in a dangerous position

7mins

Richard Dunne hacks away a Mears cross for Derby's first corner of the evening.

6mins

Derby begin to pass the ball well down the flanks and good work by Tyrone Mears sees a dangerous cross cleared by Javier Garrido

4mins

Blumer Elano shows his class as he cuts into the box for City and drills the ball acorss the Derby goalmouth but Andy Todd clears at the back post

3mins

A dangerous ball into the box by Andy Griffin is completely missed by the Man City defence but Steve Howard can only head wide.

1mins

Fagan is up ended by Johnson. Dangerous free kick to Derby

1mins

Micah Richards is in commanding form at centre back as he heads clear an early lofted ball into the box to the cheers of the City faithful

0mins

The passionate City crowd welcome their side onto the pitch for the first home game of the season.

0mins

Sven-Goran Eriksson sticks with the same starting eleven that beat West Ham on the opening day, with Kasper Schmeichel continuing in goal for City

0mins

For Derby, David Jones comes in for Robert Earnshaw who drops to the bench in an otherwise unchanged line up from the draw with Portsmouth at Pride Park on Saturday

Match Preview

Sven-Goran Eriksson's Manchester City side have the perfect opportunity to build on Saturday's impressive 2-0 victory at West Ham United when they take on Derby County at Eastlands on Wednesday.

The Rams are overwhelming favourites to make an immediate return to the Championship following their promotion via the play-offs in May, although Billy Davies' side showed plenty of battling qualities in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Portsmouth.

However, it was Eriksson's side that took most of the weekend plaudits after the Swede had been criticised in the build-up to the game at Upton Park.

He was rebuked for signing no English players and then ridiculed for saying that he had made most of his purchases after seeing them only on video.

The former England boss wasted no time in hitting back at his critics, saying after his side's success in east London: "It can only be stupid people who say I would sign players I did not know anything about.

"Okay, I haven't seen all of them play nine or ten times, but I have big scouting staff at the club and I have as many videos as I need to watch."

Eriksson is likely to start with Kasper Schmeichel in goal after the youngster's clean sheet at Upton Park. First-choice shot-stopper Andreas Isaksson continues to be sidelined with a fractured thumb.

Derby boss Billy Davies will be able to take his place on the touchline after serving his one-match ban against Pompey.

He will once again be without the services of Giles Barnes though as the youngster is likely to be out of action for another month with a fractured metatarsal.


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Match Report

Teenager Michael Johnson finally ended Manchester City's 227-day scoring drought at Eastlands with what proved to be their match-winning goal against Derby.

It earned City their second successive win as new manager Sven-Goran Eriksson maintained his 100 per cent record in the Premier League.

And what a difference Eriksson's arrival has made with a buzz of excitement and expectancy replacing last season's more sombre and subdued mood.

While Eriksson has spent £40million in pursuit of silverware, ironically it was the home produced Johnson who eclipsed many of City's more established players.

After an uninspiring opening, Johnson broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute with a move which he initiated and ultimately executed.

Johnson made a decisive burst through the centre of midfield before taking a return pass from Brazilian Elano and then curling an exquisite shot with the outside of his boot into the top corner from well outside the penalty area.

It was the only meaningful action of the dull opening period as Derby failed to create a clear-cut chance, having dropped striker Robert Earnshaw - their £3.5million record buy - and choosing to play a stifling 4-5-1 formation.

City remained the livelier in the second half but rarely threatened to increase their lead, although Elano and Stephen Ireland both had decent attempts at goal.

Derby showed plenty of enterprise but lacked firepower in the final third of the pitch until manager Billy Davies finally threw caution to the wind by bringing on Earnshaw for the final 20 minutes in a last-ditch bid for his side to claw their way back into the match.

But it was too late for Earnshaw to make any impact and it was City's substitutes, Geovanni and Valeri Bojinov, who were by far the more dangerous of the replacements.

Brazilian Geovanni made several dangerous raids down the right wing but nobody was able to get on the end of his dangerous crosses.

And in the dying minutes, jubilant fans started chanting the name of Eriksson who has quickly become a favourite.

City have every cause to feel confident as they will go into Sunday's local derby ahead of rivals Manchester United in the table - something of a rarity in recent years.

Manchester City

Derby County

Corners

44

Fouls

1213

Goal attempts

95

Shots off target

32

Offsides

19

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