adminLONDON. — Manchester City are top of the league and the question is, on this form, how is that supposed to change? Unless Chelsea can do anything about it on Monday, what many felt would be the closest title race in years may soon turn into a procession. Arsenal, in second place, are two months away from their home fixture against City, by which time who knows what the margin might be?
City’s slips came at the start of the season, away from home, and without them they would be substantially clear already.
Right now, they are an entirely different proposition, relentless and unforgiving. If they have a kick to unleash down the final straight, the contest is over. City were not at their best at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night, because the conditions were foul and not conducive to sexy football.
They were, however, in charge for the large part of the game, they won 5-1, and only faltered late in the first-half, thrown by what appeared to be a hamstring injury to Sergio Aguero.
That was City’s only bad news of the night. Had Aguero stayed fit, Manuel Pellegrini’s careworn face might have been replaced by a sloppy grin.
Had Aguero stayed fit, however, and who knows what the damage might have been. City could have been five up after 22 minutes and, even without Aguero, they added another four.
The locals will claim rotten luck around a disallowed goal – right – and a second-half penalty to give City a two goal lead – wrong – but the aggregate score between these teams this season is 11-1 and it takes a lot more than one over-eager linesman to create a margin of superiority as significant as that.
Danny Rose was hugely unlucky to be dismissed for a foul that wasn’t but the scoreline was no miscarriage of justice.
City hit the woodwork twice and had another effort cleared off the line.
They really are a very good team. The match with Barcelona next month is a real test – for the Catalans.
The problem with announcing a fatwa on holding midfield players, as Tim Sherwood and his managerial team have at Tottenham, is that a viable alternative must be produced.
Whatever Tottenham were playing on Wednesday night wasn’t it. Early on, Manchester City were into their back four much like a herd of rhinoceros would make their way through a Wendy House.
A very skilful, intelligent herd of rhinoceros, obviously. And a not particularly well constructed Wendy House.
At least the first goal here was measured in minutes though, not seconds, as had been the case at the Etihad Stadium earlier in the season.
Losing 6-0 up there was the match that spelled the beginning of the end for former manager Andre Villas-Boas, and there is hardly much solace in a slightly improved showing second time around.
Indeed, such was City’s dominance that by the time Aguero opened the scoring after 14 minutes there were genuine fears of a repeat.
Aston Villa emerged with the spoils from the night’s most entertaining fixture, edging a seven-goal thriller 4-3 against midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion having fallen 2-0 down after nine minutes.
Sunderland eased their worries by moving out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over Stoke City.
“I don’t want to talk about the title, I’m just so happy with the win and the way we played,” City captain Kompany said. It’s a great time to be part of Manchester City. It’s bad news of course (about Sergio Aguero’s injury) but we will have to see. I don’t know how bad it is but the good news is that Stevan Joveticstepped up and showed the player he can be.”
There was no shortage of goals at Villa Park, where West Brom took the game by the scruff of the neck thanks to Chris Brunt’s fourth-minute opener and a Fabian Delph own goal. — Mailonline/Reuters.
Online Reporter