Dzeko fires 100-goal City to within one point of the title

Alam Khan - Reporter 09:36 08/05/2014
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Rain man: Edin Dzeko scores as Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan lies helpless

    Manchester City turned on the second- half style to become centurions and move a massive step closer to the Premier League title.

    Having been stifled by Aston Villa for 63 minutes, Edin Dzeko struck twice before Stevan Jovetic and Yaya Toure – with a stunning solo goal – took their tally to 100 league goals this season and a two-point lead over Liverpool going into Sunday’s final game against West Ham.

    Even with 28-goal Sergio Aguero absent, Manuel Pellegrini’s frontmen filled the gap again and he did not have a bad replacement with David Silva.

    The skills of the Spaniard have helped City rise to the top and he might have helped ease the home nerves in only the second minute when he was caught by Ashley Westwood in the box, but did not get the penalty.

    Still, City kept probing and pressing and Pablo Zabaleta created the first opening when he picked out Toure with a cut-back. but the Ivorian's effort was blocked by Brad Guzan. 

    Samir Nasri was next to try his luck from 20 yards, but a curling finish flew wide.

    While Villa barely had much possession, their gameplan frustrated the hosts. So often they had 11 men behind the ball when City attacked, but still managed to offer a threat on the counter through Austrian forward Andreas Weimann.

    He made a few home hearts flutter in the 31st minute when he crossed deep to the back post to find Jordan Bowery in space, but the frontman’s volleyed strike lacked power and direction.

    Weimann then caused another anxious moment when a Nasri corner was cleared out to him and he was left one-on-one with Zabaleta. An ambitious shot from 25 yards was the outcome, but it took a deflection off the Argentine.

    City went closer, much closer, but without getting the breakthrough before half time. In space, Zabaleta set up Silva for a close-range shot blocked by Ron Vlaar before Nasri poked wide from five yards when dashing in to meet a James Milner cross.

    Villa were valiant as the massed bodies in the box continually thwarted City. When their backline was breached, Guzan held firm, saving Vincent Kompany’s overhead kick and then soaring to his left to push away a ferocious 30-yard free kick from Aleksandar Kolarov.

    The last time City had failed to score at the Etihad in the league was on February 3 when Chelsea ended their 100 per cent run with a 1-0 success. But Pellegrini showed his desire for goals by sending on Stevan Jovetic for Milner on the hour.

    It sparked City and within four minutes they were ahead. Nasri slipped a pass inside to Zabaleta and he found Dzeko who swept home past Guzan.

    The relief and elation was evident in the celebrations and Villa’s resistance was no more as Dzeko added his second – and 26th of the campaign – eight minutes later.

    This was a tap-in from a few yards after Guzan had spilled Nasri’s shot following more good work by Zabaleta on the right flank.

    Credit to Villa, though, as they battled on bravely and Weimann was unlucky when he steered a header against the bar and it bounced on the line.

    Jovetic extended City’s goal difference over Liverpool to 12 when he stroked in the third with a minute to go, before Toure’s wonderful effort – racing from inside his own half, out-pacing and outpowering three Villa defenders before beating Guzan – made it 13.

    One game, one point and the title is theirs.

    Recommended