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Mancini: City ahead of schedule
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes the club's Arab-funded revolution is ahead of schedule.
Mancini's expensively-assembled side, after ending a 35-year trophy drought by winning the FA Cup last season as well as qualifying for the Champions League, now top the Barclays Premier League.
Sergio Aguero loving life at Eastlands
Given his explosive start in the Premier League, it is no surprise that Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is delighted with life at the moment.
The Argentinean, who moved to City from Atletico Madrid in the summer, is currently the joint highest goal-scorer in the Premier League alongside Wayne Rooney with nine.
city won the match against wolves 3-1
Manchester City 3-1 Wolves: Adam Johnson comes off the bench to clinch victory after Kompany is sent off in dramatic second half
Second-half strikes from the England winger, Edin Dzeko and Aleksandar Kolarov were enough to secure a fifth straight league win despite the Belgian defender's dismissal
Manchester City secured their fifth consecutive league win with a tight 3-1 victory over Wolves at the Etihad Stadium.
A Wayne Hennessey howler gifted the home side the lead in the 52nd minute, with Edin Dzeko knocking home with the goal at his mercy before Aleksander Kolarov pounced on David Silva's deflected effort quarter of an hour later to double the hosts' advantage.
Vincent Kompany was rightly sent off less than 10 minutes later after he brought down Kevin Doyle in the area, as Stephen Hunt dispatched the resulting penalty to make Roberto Mancini's men endure a nail-biting final 15 minutes before Adam Johnson wrapped it up late on.
The hosts made three changes to the team that humiliated Manchester United in last week’s derby, with Kolarov, Samir Nasri and Dzeko, who scored two in midweek against Wolves, coming in for Gael Clichy, James Milner and the in-form Mario Balotelli. The latter pair, both of whom were superb at Old Trafford, most likely being rested for City’s vital trip to Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Mick McCarthy also made a trio of changes to the starting XI that drew late on with Swansea City seven days ago, with David Edwards, Stephen Hunt and Adlene Guedioura taking the places of Matt Jarvis, Adam Hammill and Sylvain Ebanks-Blake.
Mancini’s men came into the game having seen Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United bounce back from last week’s derby mauling with a 1-0 win away to Everton and as such, City’s lead at the Premier League summit had been reduced from five points to two.
They started like a team desperate to regain their advantage, as Nasri's 20-yard volley after only 74 seconds was tipped over by Wayne Hennessey.
The explosive start soon faded however, with the home side maintaining possession but struggling to break a dogged Wolves defence down, and as the quarter of an hour mark passed, City were looking comfortable, if a little frustrated.
The mood continued to grow shortly after as Dzeko failed to convert a tight volley from a matter of yards, with Micah Richards' deflected cross after a marauding run having bounced in to the path of the Bosnian. His reaction was slow and Wolves hung on to maintain the deadlock.
It was nearly broken shortly before the 25th minute as Aguero picked up the ball 30 yards out, moved dangerously towards the area and hit a rasping drive towards Hennessey's bottom right corner, only for the Welshman to keep it out with a superb stop that had him at full stretch. Undeterred, the Argentine then missed another chance from a matter of yards, lazily scooping an effort wide as City looked to dominate.
The home fans were becoming increasingly agitated as half time approached and referee Stuart Attwell was facing the majority of their fury, with Dzeko having been grabbed in the box by Richard Stearman after a dinked cross by Nasri. Had the official been closer to the incident, you suspect he would have pointed to the spot.
However, the main foe of City's first 45 minutes was proving to be Wolves' hero as Hennessey pulled out another excellent save to deny Dzeko after the Bosnian had been played in brilliantly by Silva. For the first time in five games, City went in at the break without a goal to their name.
They weren't made to wait long after the break to make the breakthrough however, and it was Hennessey who went from hero to zero as Aguero put the dallying 'keeper under pressure on the edge of his area, getting a foot on the ball as the deflection landed in Dzeko's path, who made no mistake with a calm half volleyed finish to hit his ninth of the season.
Hennessey's afternoon then went from bad to worse as City doubled their lead, with the Welshman at fault once again after having parried Silva's curled effort into the path of Kolarov, who dispatched from close range to put the game comfortably in the home side's hands.
But capitulate Wolves did not, and within eight minutes the visitors had halved City's lead and reduced them to 10 men. Guedioura's rasping effort from outside the area proved too hot for Joe Hart to handle and with the ball bouncing towards the oncoming Doyle, Kompany brought down the Ireland international to give Attwell no choice but point to the spot. The Belgian was duly sent off and Hunt, who had been a peripheral figure, coolly slotted it past Hart.
However, with Wolves pushing for the equaliser, City ruthlessly caught them on the break as Johnson hit an excellent low drive to secure a tight, but potentially huge home win. It was no means easy for Mancini's men, but it was a performance with the determination required for a sustained title challenge.
Grp A: Villarreal vs Man City Preview
Under-pressure Villarreal coach Juan Carlos Garrido believes his inexperienced youngsters can produce a shock Champions League win over Manchester City on Wednesday.
The La Liga side have endured a miserable start to the season compounded by the loss of a host of key players to injury.
Villarreal 0-3 Manchester City: Yaya Toure & Mario Balotelli inspire comprehensive win to send Mancini's men second in Group A
Two goals from the Ivorian and the former Inter striker secured a well needed victory, taking them one step closer to qualification for the last 16
Two goals from Yaya Toure edged Manchester City closer to qualification in the Champions League after they comfortably beat Villarreal at El Madrigal.
The visitors proved superior throughout the game in an encounter that saw Mario Balotelli net another goal for his team, or his return to European action following his three-match ban for his Europa League dismissal against Dynamo Kiev last season.
Roberto Mancini rested the in-form Micah Richards and Sergio Aguero, while Stefan Savic, Samir Nasri and Balotelli all got the nod.
Meanwhile, Juan Garrido, with a plethora of injuries to worry about, including Marcos Senna, Cani and Cristian Zapata, brought in Mateo Musacchio, Hernan Perez and Joselu into the team.
Villarreal began the game by defending deep, as if to make a statement that a draw would suffice.
David Silva looked lively early on, linking up well with Balotelli and Toure, as he used his agility and quick feet to cause the home team problems.
Villarreal’s best opportunity of the half came when De Guzman delivered a perfect long-range ball to Joselu but the striker’s poor touch saw the ball escape from his grasp as Hart collected in his area.
In a match that was dubbed as City’s for the taking, the visitors struggled to penetrate into the oppositions’ box early on.
However, just before the half hour, Toure put Mancini’s men 1-0 up. Silva, alert and energetic, intercepted a pass by Rodriguez and the Spaniard charged forward and created an opportunity for Toure who finished calmly, side footing the ball past the keeper’s left.
The goal, Toure's first since the infamous FA Cup triumph last season, changed the dynamics of the game: City began to dictate the play and the home fans at the El Madrigal became quiet.
Silva, exuding confidence and flair, permeated the midfield throughout the half, linking up well with Toure and Balotelli.
Then, with the first half drawing to a close, the Spanish international was involved in City’s second goal. Silva spotted Balotelli just outside the box and, as the striker drove powerfully forward, he was fouled by Musacchio and a penalty was awarded. There was only one man who was going to take the penalty. Balotelli stepped up and coolly dispatched the ball into the bottom corner -sending the keeper the wrong way.
Silva was replaced by Adam Johnson on the 65th minute as the Spanish maestro went off clutching his hip.
Villarreal looked a demoralised team and their problems were further exacerbated as City grabbed their third goal of the game.
Mancini’s team charged forward to find the home team half-asleep and defensively all over the place. Balotelli threaded a square pass to Toure and the Ivorian, with great composure, passed the last defender and slotted the ball beyond the keeper.
Sergio Aguero came on late in the game but it proved more of a run around for the Argentine striker as City coasted until the final minute of the match.
city won by 3-2 against qpr after a tight game....
Manchester City 3-1 Newcastle
There were no chips at Manchester City on Saturday, just another three points for the Premier League leaders as Newcastle's unbeaten record came to an end.
Even City's fans shared the amusement of a club that just announced losses of £194.9million being forced to announce that there would be no chips available at half-time.
Grp A: Napoli 2-1 Man City
Edinson Cavani struck twice as Napoli left Manchester City's Champions League hopes in tatters with a 2-1 win.
The highly-rated Uruguayan lifted the Italian side back into second in Group A with goals either side of a Mario Balotelli equaliser at the intimidating Stadio San Paolo.
City had several chances in an eventful game but Marek Hamsik also hit the post for the hosts, who dominated for long spells.
The Barclays Premier League leaders will now have to win their final game against group winners Bayern Munich and rely on a favour from winless Villarreal against Napoli to progress.
Mancini: We can still qualify
Manager Roberto Mancini refused to write off Manchester City's Champions League qualification hopes despite the disappointing 2-1 defeat away to Napoli.
Edinson Cavani's double sunk City in Italy, despite Mario Balotelli's strike, and the result means that even if Mancini's men win their final game against group winners Bayern Munich in a fortnight's time, they will be reliant on Napoli slipping up against pointless Villarreal.
But Mancini told Sky Sports 2: "We have another game and Villarreal can beat Napoli.
"It is the first time we have played Champions League but I don't think Villarreal will lose another game, they can win or draw - why not?
"Everything is not finished - never say never."
Reflecting on Tuesday night's setback, the Italian added: "We didn't deserve to lose this game, we should think we can score three or four goals every game. We wanted this because that is our mentality.
"After our equaliser we had two more chances to go 2-1 up, it is strange that we conceded this goal after 10 minutes.
"We had other chances to score, their keeper was fantastic and saved three or four chances, but if you lose probably you made mistakes.
"We conceded two stupid goals, we know Cavani goes on the first post. Cavani is a good player, a good striker, he scores goals and works for the team."
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