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  • Caicedo (15), Caicedo (27), Robinho (28), Robinho (36), Ireland (82)
  • Fagan (80)
  • Date:2008-12-26
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:City of Manchester Stadium
  • Attendance:45196
  • Referee:Marriner, A

Live Commentary

90mins

Full-Time: MAN CITY 5-1 HULL CITY. Great performance from Manchester City as they tear a poor Hull City to shreds to record a much needed victory to move out of the bottom three.

89mins

Hull are all over Man City now, shame it come so late though as Fagan fires a shot just wide with Mark Hughes' side looking very relaxed now.

85mins

This is a strong finish by Hull who are getting themselves into some good crossing positions but just can't quiet find an amber and black shirt.

81mins

MAN CITY 5-1 HULL CITY. Man City respond in the only way they know how after Fagan's goal, grabbing a fifth through IRELAND after some lovely flowing football. Robinho picking out Ireland with a low cross on the penalty spot for a deserved goal.

79mins

MAN CITY 4-1 HULL CITY. Hull get one back through FAGAN after some nice footwork by King allowed him to put a low cross in which Man City failed to deal. The former Derby striker was quickest to react, tapping it home from close range.

78mins

Elano nearly adds a fifth with a free-kick from over 30 yards which deflects off the wall and then dips onto the outside of the post, Myhill was rooted to the spot.

74mins

Bernard Mendy gets a booking after coming in through the back of Elano, another bad tackle by a Hull player.

72mins

Wright-Phillips goes close once again after jinking his way into the penalty area, his shot this time fizzing just over the crossbar.

71mins

That yellow card from Zayatte is quickly followed up by one for Craig Fagan for his dreadful tackle on Pablo Zabaleta.

71mins

Kamil Zayatte gets himself a bookinng for a bad foul on Wright-Phillips.

70mins

Hull make their last change of the game with Geovanni getting a nice round of applause as he heads off and on in his place comes Daniel Cousin

69mins

Hull win another corner which is swung in towards the far post where Turner is waiting, his header though is wide and Hart can just watch it go out.

67mins

Wright-Phillips has another chance on the edge of the area turning away from Turner but then slips when he tries to take his shot on, blazing it high over the bar.

65mins

Hull win a corner which Geovanni takes and finds Ashbee whose head is sent towards goal but is blocked by Ball, who hooks its away at the second time of asking.

63mins

From Elano's freekick the ball falls to Ireland again which he tries to take on the volley but only succeeds in sending it high over the crossbar.

62mins

Not a lot to tell you about from the last few minutes, couple of crosses from Hull is the best it has got, Man City are taking it very easy although Elano wins a freekick out on the right.

62mins

Not a lot to tell you about from the last few minutes, couple of crosses from Hull is the best it has got, Man City are taking it very easy although Elano wins a freekick out on the right.

56mins

Marney gets on the end of some good play by Hull and whips in a low cross hich Hart does well to pluck out of the air, good take from the English goalkeeper.

54mins

Good chance for Wright-Phillips after Ireland carved open Hull with another great pass, but before the England winger can have a shot a sliding tackle from Doyle puts it out of play.

51mins

Its been an even contest in the opening six minutes of this second half, Man City seem to have taken their foot of the gas and it isthe first part of the game that hasn't actually been interesting, sure it will pick up!

46mins

Hull make a change of their own with Craig Fagan making his return from injury, coming on for Dean Windass.

46mins

Man City make two changes at the the break with Nedum Onuoha and Jo coming on to replace Micah Richards and Felipe Caicedo

45mins

The second half gets underway with Hull looking for some kind of improvement in the second half after Phil Brown had marched his players to where the away fans are sat before giving them a real rollocking, never seen that before.

45mins

Half Time: MAN CITY 4-0 HULL CITY. Spectacular stuff from Manchester City as they rip Hull to pieces. Ireland has been magnificent and, with Caicedo and Robinho firing on all cylinders, it looks like there could be more in it for Mark Hughes' side.

45mins

Great stuff from City again after Ireland slide Wright-Phillips through with a great pass, the England winger missing from eight yards though as the chance to make it five goes begging.

45mins

Geovanni comes in through the back of Zabaleta as signs of frustration creep and gets himself the first booking.

43mins

Mendy tries to pick out King with a low cross but Pablo Zabaleta has to slide it and flick it away, better from Hull although they are dead and buried already.

39mins

Geovanni takes a corner for Hull from the left which Richards heads away at the far post and from it Man City create another chance with Wright-Phillips forcing a good save from Myhill from his long shot.

35mins

MAN CITY 4-0 HULL CITY. Wright-Phillips sprints clear down the right before pulling it back across the face of goal for ROBINHO to place it home for his second of the game.

34mins

Geovanni nearly pulls one back for Hull bending it up and over the wall, forcing Hart to make the save and hold on to the ball.

33mins

George Boateng is dragged off and on in his place comes Nathan Doyle, can it save Hull?

28mins

Man City are well on top now with Caicedo nearly getting his third from an Elano corner, this time though Myhill got behind the ball to make the save.

28mins

MAN CITY 3-0 HULL CITY. City make it three within the first half an hour, Hull again give it away and Ireland releases ROBINHO, who races towards goal before turning inside Turner and picking his spot.

27mins

MAN CITY 2-0 HULL CITY. CAICEDO gets his second of the match. Ireland again does the hard work, winning the ball back before picking out Caicedo who finishes from close range.

25mins

Geovanni takes a corner for Hull which he floats towards the far post, Dunne getting it away as the Tigers begin to amount some pressure.

24mins

Ball gives away another freekick which Geovanni takes, Kompany heading it away but only as far as Marney who skis his effort high and wide.

22mins

Great break down the right by Marney after robbing Elano he goes past Ball, getting the cross in which Dunne has to deal with, heading it away.

17mins

Elano takes the resulting corner which is a poor one and Hull can clear as they try to relieve some pressure.

17mins

Myhill has just kept Hull in this one after some lovely footwork from Robinho sees him ghost past Mendy before unleashing a shot which the Welsh internationalshot stopper has to turn behind for a corner.

15mins

MAN CITY 1-0 HULL CITY. CAICEDO gets his third goal in as many games after some great build-up play by Robinho allows Ireland to get in a low cross to leave the Ecuador international with a simple tap-in from a yard out.

12mins

The Tigers win a freekick out on the rght which Marney takes with the ball eventually falling to Boateng, whose shot is deflected behind for a corner.

8mins

Man City win another corner from the right which falls to Ireland again who takes the shot first time again, this time the effort is terrible and the ball goes high into the crowd behind the goal.

7mins

Elano takes the corner and places it on the edge of the penalty area for Ireland who takes the ball on the volley but sends it bending away from goal, clever play by Man City though.

6mins

City break free of the Hull pressure with Caicedo earning a corner after a low shot was deflected to the right of the Tigers goal.

5mins

King is at the centre of the action again with the striker sweeping in a cross which finds Windass whose header is just over, wouldn't have counted though because the ageing striker is offside.

4mins

Brilliant counter attack by Hull after Dean Windass put King in on goal, who did well to get away from Dunne before his low shot is turned behind by Hart, great save.

3mins

Referee Marriner gets an early earful from Geovanni and Marlon King after a decision went against the Tigers, feisty start.

1mins

Really bright start by Man City after Mendy gave the ball away, Robinho having the first shot in anger after being put in by Caicedo but putting it high over the bar.

1mins

Andre Marriner gets this one underway at Eastlands with Man City desperate for the points after dropping into the relegation zone while Hull look to close the gap on Arsenal to just a point with a win.

0mins

Hull City XI: Myhill, Mendy, Zayatte, Turner, McShane, Boateng, Geovanni, Ashbee, Marney, Windass, King.

0mins

Hull pay their first ever visit to Eastlands and are boosted by the return of Paul McShane after he missed the Sunderland defeat along with Craig Fagan who has been out for months with a broken leg but is fit enough to start on the bench.

0mins

Man City XI: Hart, Zabaleta, Dunne, Richards, Ball, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Kompany, Elano, Robinho, Caicedo

0mins

Manchester City are boosted by the return of £32.5million man Robinho to their starting line-up as they go in search of their first win in nine games.

Match Preview

Many pundits would have predicted in the summer that one of these teams would be challenging for a place in Europe while the other would be in the relegation zone.

However, few people would have thought Hull City who would enter the festive period in sixth spot while Mark Hughes' team would be in the bottom three.

Hughes has been told his job is safe even though his side has failed to win any of their last six matches in all competitions, scoring only three goals in the process.

It is only a month since Manchester City thrashed Arsenal 3-0 and won 2-0 at Schalke in the UEFA Cup but, since losing the derby clash to Manchester United, Hughes' side have gone completely off the rails.

Injuries haven't helped Hughes' cause and Benjani seems certain to miss the Boxing Day clash after suffering a thigh injury in the 2-1 defeat at rock-bottom West Brom.

Ched Evans and Darius Vassell will have scans to assess foot and toe injuries respectively but Robinho could return to first-team action after recovering from a sprained ankle.

Martin Petrov (knee), Michael Johnson (groin) and Valeri Bojinov (calf) remain on the long-term injury list while Elano appears to have played his last game for the club and seems certain to be heading out of Eastlands when the transfer window opens.

Meanwhile the Tigers, who have lost only one of their nine away games in the Premier League so far this season, will be without the suspended Sam Ricketts who was controversially sent off in the 4-1 home defeat to Sunderland.


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Match Report

Manchester City put Hull City to the sword with a five-star show at Eastlands, easing their relegation fears in the process.

This game was over bar the shouting by half-time after a brace from both Felipe Caicedo and Robinho and Stephen Ireland rounded off the rout late on.

Caicedo rewarded Mark Hughes' decision to award him a rare start with two early goals, adding to his efforts against Racing Santander and West Brom in recent days.

Hull's early pressure forced Joe Hart into a couple of tidy saves from Marlon King and Geovanni's 35-yard free-kick in the 33rd minute, but in reality the visitors were so outgunned that Hull boss Phil Brown hauled off George Boateng and put on Nathan Doyle in an effort to shore up the Tigers' defence, which was being mauled by the combined forces of Robinho, Ireland and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Hull had already faded by the time Robinho's second goal had gone in and Geovanni went into the referee's notebook for a wild lunge at Pablo Zabaleta.

The early jitters may have made the home side a little cautious but they soon got into their stride. Richard Dunne escaped from the City defence and set Robinho free down the left.

The Brazilian saw Ireland in space and sent in a crossfield pass that Ireland sidefooted into the path of the oncoming Caicedo, who made no mistake from six yards out and rippled the roof of the net.

Ireland was again the provider 11 minutes later when Wright-Phillips set him free for another run up the right flank. He looked up and crossed and once again found Caicedo arriving in time to make it 2-0.

If Caicedo's brace wasn't enough to win the game then Robinho put City out of sight.

Ireland made it a hat-trick of assists when he won the ball on 28 minutes and laid it off to Robinho, whose mazy run left Michael Turner dizzy and comprehensively beaten when he shimmied and fired past Boaz Myhill to make it 3-0.

There was a suspicion of offside when Elano put Wright Phillips through, but his cross from the right to Robinho allowed the Brazilian to lose his marker and effortlessly score City's fourh goal.

It was game over and Brown certainly had words to say at half-time as he berated his team on the pitch for several minutes.

Elano's free kick 76th minute was deflected on to the woodwork by Craig Fagan, but Fagan was to provide a nothing more than a mere consolation minutes later when he tapped in following confusion in the home defence after Hart palmed Daniel Cousin's cross away.

City couldn't resist having the final say, however, and Ireland capped a man of the match performance by scoring City's fifth, after Robinho's cross was laid on a plate for him following Elano's splendid approach work.

Not even a hint of an own goal in the 84th minute, when Dunne sliced a clearance into Hart's hands, could make this anything less than a resounding win.

Manchester City

Hull City

Corners

810

Fouls

1514

Goal attempts

2416

Shots off target

74

Offsides

37

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