Manchester City 3 Burnley 3

Barclay's English Premiership

Saturday 7 November 2009 - 15:00 KO

City: Given, Zabaleta, Lescott, Touré (c), Bridge, Barry, Ireland, Bellamy, Wright-Phillips, Tevez (Petrov 75), Adebayor
Unused: Taylor, Richards, Johnson, Slyvinho, Weiss, de Jong
Goals: Wright-Phillips (42), Touré (54), Bellamy (57)
Booked: Bellamy

Referee: Stuart Atwell
Man of the Match: Craig Bellamy


On a rainy November afternoon, City knew that they needed three points to break their run of draws and to cement their position in the top four spots. But Burnley didn't go to the City of Manchester Stadium to defend for a 0-0.

Burnley started the game the brighter. After winning a corner, Burnley swung it into the box and Clarke Carlisle tried a spectacular overhead kick, but it was well off target and not worrying Given.

City struggled to get going and Burnley took full advantage thanks to a dubious decision by the referee, Stuart Atwell. Mears fired in a point blank centre at Lescott and it appeared to strike his arm in front of his face, but the assistant referee was in no doubt and Graham Alexander left Given with no chance.

The referee then didn't endear himself to the City fans any further, by ignoring blatant shirt pulling on Carlos Tevez on the edge of the Burnley box and then punishing a perfectly fair Gareth Barry tackle with a free-kick to the visitors.

Craig Bellamy was them harshly booked for catching Chris Eagles when trying to stop a cross, before Burnley punished the home side further. Eagles knocked the ball into the middle after Barry had given it away and Fletcher tapped in, with Given stranded.

Wright-Phillips had a goal ruled out for offside, before Bellamy forced the first save of the game from Jensen, as his low drive from the left was parried wide of the post.

But City were back in the game just before the half. Wright-Phillips had a pop from wide right and it flicked off ex-blue Stephen Jordan and curled around Jensen. It meant City had a platform to build on for the second half.

And, as the second half began, City went for the throat. First, Tevez had a go from a free-kick on the edge of the box, after Wright-Phillips was fouled, but it was an easy save for Jensen. Then, Ireland tried to curl one into the net from the edge of the box, but it flew well over the bar.

Zabaleta and Jordan then exchanged words over the City man's tough tackle, before City were awarded a free-kick just over half-way. Stuart Atwell, though, frustrated the visitors by getting his arms mixed up and indicated first that he had awarded it for them.

Barry took the kick towards the back post, where Lescott was able to get a foot on the ball and divert it back across goal. There, City captain Touré was on hand to side foot home and pull City back level.

Then, just before the hour mark, City took the lead. Ireland knocked the ball to Wright-Phillips, who fired in a low cross towards Tevez. But it was behind the Argentine and Craig Bellamy was there to hammer the ball home.

City looked the more likely to go on and win the game, especially as Tevez missed at the near post from a hard-hit Bellamy centre and Adebayor tried to skip around Jensen, but the ball went out of play before he could control it.

Burnley were than thankful to substitute David Nugent as he used his thigh to clear the ball off the line to prevent a Clarke Carlisle own goal from a well hit Petrov corner. Petrov then cut inside from the right and fired an effort a yard or so wide of Jensen's goal.

With ten minutes to go, Ireland knocked the ball to Petrov as the pair broke into the box, but it was on the Bulgarian's right foot and he wasn't able to get his shot on target. The effort was also just a yard too far for the late-coming Adebayor to reach for the tap in.

And with two minutes to go, City were hit with a sucker punch. After having created the better chances of the half and with Given having been much of a spectator for the latter stages of the game, Burnley found the net, again in dubious style.

The ball looked to have curled out of play on their right wing attack, but it wasn't given by the linesman. Lescott then lost the ball to Nugent too cheaply, He crossed for Fletcher to nod back into the box and McDonald slotted the ball past the despairing dive of Given.

City tried to force another chance, but there wasn't time and a game that should never have needed rescuing had been rescued and then thrown away at the end. For City, this will feel like a defeat and it's now five draws in a row for Mark Hughes's men.

Birmingham 0 Manchester City 0

Barclay's English Premiership

Sunday 1 November 2009 - 16:00 KO

City: Given, Zabaleta, Lescott, Kompany, Bridge, Barry, de Jong (c) (Ireland 59), Bellamy, Wright-Phillips, Tevez, Santa Cruz (Petrov 66)
Unused: Taylor, Richards, Johnson, Slyvinho, Weiss
Goals: -
Booked: Bridge, Santa Cruz

Referee: Mike Dean
Man of the Match: Shay Given


City went into this game knowing that a draw would be enough to take them back into the top four. But to fully take advantage of the weekend’s results, they needed to win, especially after defeats for Liverpool and Tottenham the day before.

Six minutes had passed when the first chance of the game arrived. It fell to the home side, as Gareth Barry was robbed of the ball by Ferguson, but the Birmingham man could only fire his shot wide of Given’s goal.

Two minutes later and Birmingham had another good chance. Benitez wriggled his way free and fired a shot through Kompany’s legs as the big Belgian attempted to close him down. Shay Given, though, was on hand to get the slightest of touches onto the post and City cleared the danger.

With 11 minutes gone, Birmingham will have been kicking themselves that they weren’t in front when Benitez was though with a one-on-one with Given, but City’s keeper stood tall and blocked the effort.

Down the other end, City were trying to get into the game. Santa Cruz headed well wide with a free header, before Tevez played a superb ball through to Bellamy, but the Welshman’s shot was well blocked for a corner.

Shortly after, Birmingham stand-in keeper Maik Taylor struggled with a long range effort from Wright-Phillips and could only spoon it back into the box. His centre-backs, though, combined to rescue the situation, before Santa Cruz could connect.

Just before the half hour, Zabaleta lost the ball just inside the City half and McFadden had a go from range. It was heading for the top corner until City’s goalkeeper palmed it over the bar.

With 15 minutes of the half remaining, City were emerging as the better passing side, but they were struggling to create anything meaningful. Lescott headed over from a free kick, before Santa Cruz had an effort blocked from close range.

Just before half time, Given saved well from a Bowyer effort from range and he was the first to react to the rebound, diving on it bravely when under pressure.

Barry was then unable to sort his feet out in the Birmingham box and the chance of a shot was gone, before Tevez was fouled on the right wing, but the free kick came to nothing.

The first chance of the second half fell to Carlos Tevez, but his effort went well over the bar. Bridge then picked up a daft yellow card for kicking the ball away, after he was adjudged to have taken it out of play on a superb run.

A minute later, though, de Jong was harshly punished for handball in the area. As he jumped, he lost the header and it rebounded down onto his hand, and Mike Dean pointed to the spot. But it was Shay Given to the rescue, as he pulled off a fantastic save to deny McFadden.

Three minutes later, City wanted a penalty for a foul on Zabaleta, but there was nothing doing from the referee. And just after the hour, City should have taken the lead, as Lescott fired straight at Taylor from a corner, perhaps surprised the kick reached him in the first place.

On 68 minutes, Carlos Tevez had another effort and it required a touch from Taylor to prevent the goal. The resulting corner, though, came to nothing.

Two minutes later, Bowyer fired in a low cross into the City box and Zabaleta did tremendously well not to put it through his own goal as he cleared the danger from just in front of Given.

The game was getting scrappy and, while City were having enough possession, they couldn’t create any decent chances. Wright-Phillips chipped a cross over the bar when he had time and space, while, at the other end, a Kompany clearance rebounded off Ireland and put City back under pressure.

With five minutes left, Bridge made a run into the box and his shot was blocked by Johnson. The rebound fell to Tevez, who looked to be fouled as he tried to wriggle free in the box, but the referee said no penalty.

The game had to be stopped for a bad injury to Johnson, who looked like he was struggling to breathe after blocking Bridge’s shot and colliding with one of his own players. But the physios were quickly on and he was soon ready to re-join the action.

Deep into stoppage time, Birmingham substitute Kevin Philips wanted a second penalty as Kompany slipped when blocking his volley, but the referee ruled it wasn’t handball and City were able to clear.

The last action of the game was a very silly second yellow card for Birmingham’s Ferguson, booked for handball, when he stopped Zabaleta from taking a throw-in midway in the City half.

It was two firsts for City – the first penalty in a game for or against and the first time City failed to score in a league match this season. Given the amount of possession the visitors had, they will be disappointed not to have created more meaningful chances and a point was a fair result.

Manchester City 5 Scunthorpe 1

Carling Cup Round 4

Wednesday 28 October 2009 - 19:45 KO

City: Given, Zabaleta, Lescott, Kompany, Sylvinho, Wright-Phillips, Ireland (Weiss 59), Barry (Johnson 73), de Jong (c), Santa Cruz, Tevez (Benjani 79)
Unused: Taylor, Richards, Bridge, Bellamy
Goals: Ireland (2), Santa Cruz (37), Lescott (55), Tevez (71), Johnson (77)
Booked: de Jong, Zabaleta

Referee: Michael Oliver
Man of the Match: Roque Santa Cruz


After the disappointing result against Fulham, City were looking for a good start to a tie they were expected to win comfortably. Mark Hughes, once again, named a strong side, showing his intent to take the competition seriously when other Premiership teams perhaps don't.

The away side fashioned the first chance of the game, forcing Given into a good save at his near post as Paul Hayes had a go from just outside the box. But it was City who took the initiative, and, after Shaun Wright-Phillips played him in, Stephen Ireland scored a beauty from the edge of the box, leaving the keeper standing.

And a good start nearly got better for City, as, from kick-off, Ireland stole the ball and sent Wright-Phillips in. But the little winger's effort from range was just inches over the bar.

While City controlled possession, they weren't able to test the visiting goalkeeper. And Scunthorpe punished the blues after 25 minutes. De Jong gave the ball away in midfield and it was played past Kompany into Williams's feet. Lescott wasn't sure whether to close the ball or mark the man square and, in the end, was left in no man's land as the low cross found Forte to tap home.

Just before the half hour, Wright-Phillips was found by Ireland on the left and his low, first time effort was well saved by Murphy in the Scunthorpe goal. Murphy then dived bravely to take the ball away from the on-coming Wright-Phillips, before the City man could get a vital touch.

With half time approaching, City re-took the lead. Zabaleta crossed to the back post and Santa Cruz peeled off his man to meet it with a powerful header. It found the bottom corner of the goal and City were able to take an advantage into half time.

City started the second half the way the ended the first, with a neat passing move resulting in a Wright-Phillips knock back for Santa Cruz. But the Paraguayan was only able to smash his shot just over the bar.

Ireland then slid a neat ball in to Santa Cruz, whose shot on the turn was well saved by Murphy. City's third was coming - it was a case of when and not if.

And minutes later, it arrived. A corner from the City left was crossed in by Wright-Phillips and Joleon Lescott found himself unmarked on the penalty spot. He didn't need asking twice and he powered home a header for his second goal in as many games.

Ireland's last action of the game was to beat the goalkeeper on a one-on-one, but his touch wasn't heavy enough to earn himself his second goal of the night, as Canavan was able to get back and clear the ball from the line. The Irishman was replaced by Weiss, who got a good half hour to show off his skills.

Weiss's first touches of the game were to turn the full-back inside out, before he crossed to Wright-Phillips via Santa Cruz, and it was down to Murphy to make another brave stop, as City began to dominate.

Tevez then joined the fun, as he was quickest to react to a low Vladimir Weiss cross after a short corner, and City found themselves in complete control of the game at 4-1. It should be a boost for Tevez, who ran his socks off all night, chasing lost causes.

With just over 10 minutes to go, Michael Johnson wriggled free from two challenges, before he smashed a left foot shot into the top corner from 22 yards out. As he celebrated with the team, there wasn't a City fan in the ground who wasn't pleased for him, after his torrid time with injuries.

Kompany then sent Weiss through on goal, but the youngster wasn't able to find the bottom corner on his one-on-one. Replays, though, showed the keeper had made a great save that went unnoticed by the officials.

And with that City were safely though into the Quarter Finals of the Carling Cup, and Mark Hughes will be looking for the best possible draw to give City the best chance of some silverware this season. Roll on Birmingham.