Manchester City 3 - 1 Middlesbrough

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Sunday Oct 07 2007 03:00

High-flying Manchester City maintained their perfect home record with another impressive showing against lowly Middlesbrough at Eastlands.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's side made it five wins in a row to remain in third place in the Premier League.Chris Riggott put through his own goal early in the game and two further strikes from Elano helped them continue their impressive start to the campaign.

Indeed, City's worst enemies were themselves as they started the second half sloppily and were lucky not to allow Boro a foothold back into the game.

City could not have wished for a better start when the unlucky Riggott deflected Martin Petrov's corner past keeper Mark Schwarzer from a couple of yards.

Boro enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening half hour but, with three strikers injured, lacked a cutting-edge, although Lee Cattermole's header brought a fine save from Joe Hart.

City doubled their lead in the 33rd minute when Brazilian Elano started and finished a slick passing move with a terrific shot from 25 yards after running onto a cheeky back-heel from Michael Johnson.

Boro started the second half with great spirit as City kicked off as though they already had victory secured.

And they had a rude awakening as Boro striker Tom Craddock - making his first Premier League start - twice went close, while Luke Young was also inches away from pulling a goal back.

Luckily for City they escaped because Boro had no attacking bite.

And the near misses provided a wake-up call for City who eventually regained their focus.

They made absolutely certain of victory in the 63rd minute when Elano struck again after curling a free-kick over the defensive wall and into the top corner of the net.

And City would have added a fourth goal but for keeper Schwarzer who brilliantly denied Stephen Ireland and kept out another decent striker from Petrov.

But it was Boro who belatedly got onto the scoresheet through a last minute goal from substitute Ben Hutchinson.

Hart parried a fiercely struck shot from Sanli Tuncay and Hutchinson was on hand to fire home the rebound which was only the second Premier League goal City had conceded at home this season.

While City celebrated another fine win, Boro were dragged even closer to the relegation places having picked up only one point from a possible 12 from their last four league matches.

Live Commentary

  • 90
    City take all three poins, surviving a late Middlesbrough rally which was too little too late after they had been taken apart by City and especially Elano.
  • 90
    Geovanni gets himself a yellow card after failing to retreat the ten yards from a free kick he gave away.
  • 90
    Middlesbrough with a late rally now, Downing picking out Tuncay at the far post where the Turkish midfielder strikes the ball on the volley, flashing it across the face of goal but jut wide.
  • 88
    Middlesbrough pull one back, Ben Hutchinson getting his first for the club after Tuncay's shot was palmed out by Hart into the path of the young striker who just had to tap it home.
  • 86
    Petrov floats in a poor corner which is easily dealt with by the Boro defence, Taylor knocking it away.
  • 85
    Petrov does well down the left, cutting in before shooting across the face of goal forcing Schwarzer to palm the ball ot into the path of Geovanni but Cattermole does well t get back and turn it behind for a corner.
  • 83
    Rochemback swings in a corner towards Riggott yet again, this time Dunne gets up ahead of him to nod it away from danger.
  • 82
    Richards is the first City player to be booked after catching Ben Hutchinson with a late sliding challenge.
  • 79
    Gary O'Neil gets booked after clattering Hart to the floor with an unpleasant challenge.
  • 77
    Elano comes off to a standing ovation as Deiberson Geovanni gets a run out.
  • 76
    Rochemback takes yet another corner for Middlesbrough and finds Riggott who gets his head on the ball but its straight at Hart who saves easily.
  • 74
    Petrov floats in a corner to the far post where Woodgate manages to nod it away, only as far as Elano who wips in a cross towards the near post where Samaras is just a few inches short of making contact.
  • 73
    Georgios Samaras makes his first Premier League appearance of the season as Emile Lokonda Mpenza comes off.
  • 73
    Luke Young gets his name in the Steve Bennett's little back book after bringing down Garrido.
  • 71
    Petrov's corner is headed away to Ball on the edge of the area who strikes it on the volley and sends the ball just inches wide of the right hand post.
  • 70
    Elano nearly nets his hat-trick this time trying to bend one in with the outside of his right boot but Woodgate gets his head in the way to turn it behind for a corner.
  • 67
    Elano has certainly proved he can shhot from dstance, this time he strikes one from thirty yards forcing sChwarzer to palm it out and then scramble to collect it.
  • 62
    Elano gets his second of the game with a beautiful freekick from right on the edge of the area, lifting it up and over the Middlesbrough wall and beating Schwarzer, proving he doesn't just blast them.
  • 61
    Jonathan Woodgate gets himself the first booking of the afternoon as the England defender pulls Mpenza back.
  • 59
    Manchester City make a change of their own as Michael Johnson comes off and Michael Ball replaces him.
  • 58
    Ben Hutchinson, another product of the Middlesbrough youth syste, comes on for Tom Craddock
  • 52
    Craddock makes an absolute hash of a vollley that broke to him from a Middlesbrough cross, the youngster sending his shot out for a throw-in.
  • 51
    Middlesbrough produces the best bit of play so far from the visitors with Young and Tuncay combining well down the right to realease Young who cuts in and shoots sending it just wide of the post.
  • 50
    Petrov's corner finds Dunne who tries to flick it on towards goal but Woodgate is awake to deal with it, heading it away.
  • 49
    Garrido whips in a great cross towards Mpenza at the far post who heads it back across the penalty area for Ireland who strikes it well but Riggott does well to turn it behind for a corner.
  • 48
    Downing again finds Tuncay with a deep cross, this time the Turkish international heading it high over the crossbar.
  • 47
    Downing drifts in a cross from wide on the left looking for Tunay who gets up well to control the ball but can't get the shot away before Johnson steps in to take it away.
  • 45
    Middlesbrough make a change at the break with Sunli Tuncay coming on for George Boateng
  • 45
    Middlesbrough get the second half underway looking fo a dramatic improvement if they are to get back into this game.
  • 45
    City go in at the break comfortable in front after an assured first half against a toothless and clueless Middlesbrough team.
  • 45
    Elano takes the second corner, this time directing it into the near post where it is easily dealt with by Riggott.
  • 44
    Petrov swings in a corner towards the far post and forces Woodgate to nod it behind for another corner.
  • 41
    Petrov controls the ball well before trying to bend a cross in with the outside of his left boot, but its over everyones heads and out of play for a Boro throw-in.
  • 35
    Elano has another go from wide on the left, this time the effort wasn't quiet as good bouncing straight into the waitng arms of Schwarzer.
  • 32
    Elano scores himself another wonder goal beating Schwarzer from 25-yards with a bullet of a strike, the ball flying straight into the bottom corner like an arrow.
  • 30
    Rochemback sends the corner towards the far post and finds Riggott who gets his head on it but can only send it up in the air.
  • 30
    Rochemback finds Cattermole on the far side of the penalty area with a whipped cross and Cattermole snaps his neck and nods it towards goal forcing Hart into a save, tipping it around the post.
  • 29
    Downing swings in a corner from the left, sending it towards the penalty spot where Corluka gets up well to head it away from danger.
  • 28
    Rochemback has a go from a freekick 25 yards from goal, but its a poor effort striking the bottom of the wall and City come away wth the ball.
  • 25
    Elano tries to recreate his spectacular freekick against Newcastle with another dead ball situation but this time his strike goes straight into the wall and Middesbrough clear.
  • 24
    Hamann has a go from 25-yards which dips towards goal but not in time as the ball flies over the crossbar.
  • 22
    City show some nice touches and pass with Ireland eventually realeasing Mpenza throughthe middle who turns and shoots straight at Schwarzer who saves it easily.
  • 21
    Cattermole cuts in on the right and tries his luck with a long range drive but its goes horribly wide of Hart's goal.
  • 16
    Rochemback swings in a freekick from wide on the right, sending it towards the near post but its dealt with by Corluka who heads it away, only as far as Taylor who strikes it back towards goal but its cut out by City who clear away.
  • 14
    Corluka does well getting forward before trying to cut the ball back for Elano inside the penalty area but Young does well to cut out the low cross.
  • 11
    Rochemback swings in Middlesbrough's firs corner of the game, swinging it in from the left but its over everyones heads and City are able to retain possession.
  • 8
    Richard Dunne gives City the lead getting on the end of Petrov's corner, nodding it goalwards and taking a deflection off Riggott befre beating Schwarzer who couldn't keep it out.
  • 7
    Elano skips past a few players before the ball breaks to Johnson who takes an early shot which is deflected behind for a corner.
  • 5
    Middlesbrough have made their intentions clear early on getting men behind the ball and stifling City at the minute.
  • 0
    Steve Bennett gets the game underway here at Eastland with Manchester City kicking-off.
  • 0
    Middlesbrough XI: Schwarzer, Young, Riggott, Woodgate, Taylor, O'Neil, Boateng, Rochemback, Cattermole, Downing, Craddock
  • 0
    Middlesbrough are without Mido who is injured, while Tuncay Sanli starts on the bench after being deemed not fit enough to start. Andrew Taylor makes his fifty start for Middlesbrough.
  • 0
    Man City XI: Hart, Corluka, Dunne, Richards, Garrido, Ireland, Hamann, Johnson, Petrov, Mpenza, Elano
  • 0
    Manchester City are still without Rolando Bianchi, Darius Vassell and Valeri Bojinov who miss out through injury. Joe Hart continues in goal as Kasper Schmeichel is left on the bench again.

Statistics

Manchester City
Shots on target 13
Shots off target 5
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 11
Offsides 1
Corners 8

Middlesbrough
Shots on target 11
Shots off target 6
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 13
Offsides 2
Corners 8

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