City sends 4-goal warning to rivals
Print Edition
Manchester City began its English Premier League campaign in scintillating fashion on Monday with a stylish 4-0 win at home to 10-man Newcastle United that will ring alarm bells for the rest of its title rivals.
With City spending around 90 million pounds (US$141.03 million) on attacking talent for new manager Manuel Pellegrini, it was notable all the goals came from players in last season’s squad — David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri.
Any sense of dressing room unrest last season under Roberto Mancini had evaporated as Pellegrini’s charges, assisted by new boys Fernandinho and Jesus Navas, showed they had listened to his call for an attractive, attacking style of football.
“The most pleasing aspect is the way the team played for 90 minutes,” the Chilean told a news conference. “We had from the beginning the attitude to play as an aggressive team, offensive team. First, always the most important thing is to win but after is the way we did it today.”
Last season’s runner-up took just six minutes to open the scoring with Silva heading in after Steven Taylor failed to deal with Edin Dzeko’s shot across the goal.
It doubled its lead on 22 minutes when a low shot from Aguero, set up by a neat flick from Dzeko, went in off the far post.
Swinging an arm
City’s job was made even easier just before the stroke of halftime when defender Taylor was sent off after swinging an arm at Aguero and it made the man advantage count five minutes after the break with Toure’s sizzling free kick.
The hosts made it four on 75 minutes when substitute Samir Nasri slotted home and could have had many more if it had not been for some excellent saves by Newcastle ‘keeper Tim Krul as it sent a clear message of intent to its title rivals.
The main victim of Krul’s dives and parries was the outstanding Dzeko, who seemed to have been given a new lease of life after some below-par showings under Mancini and the Bosnian was unlucky not to score from a host of chances he conjured.
“The new manager has come in and given us something different and given me more confidence,” Dzeko, a towering figure in front of the slight and pacy trio of Aguero, Silva and Navas, told Sky Sports.
The only blot on the day for City was the sight of captain Vincent Kompany limping off with what looked like a groin problem and Pellegrini said it was too soon to tell how long he could be sidelined.
With champion Manchester United thumping Swansea City 4-1 in its opener on Saturday and Chelsea beating Hull City 2-0 on Sunday, City was keen to show that it too meant business and did it in style.
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