Manchester City overtook local rivals United to join Arsenal at the top of the Barclays Premier League with a comfortable 3-1 win away to West Ham United on Saturday. The victory was achieved without unsettled skipper Carlos Tevez, who was suspended and reported to be homesick for Argentina.
It is the first time City has occupied such a lofty position at this juncture of the season since 1977, when they ultimately lost out to Liverpool by a single point. Interestingly, that particular City side included current assistant manger Brian Kidd. However, Roberto Mancini’s offsider is not about to get over-excited.
“You don’t win anything in December but if we’re still in the shake-up come March or April we can start to think in those tersms,“ Kidd told reporters from the Mail Online. ”The last time City were in this situation was in the ‘70s when I was there as a player.”
At Upton Park the visitors looked a class apart, and Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure gave them a deserved lead in the 29th minute.
The Hammers gave it a go after the break and should have had a penalty when the same Yaya Toure handled in the box. Everyone seemed to see the infringement except the match officials, and it was another testament to the old adage that when you’re down you somehow never seem to get the breaks.
By contrast it was certainly Yaya Toure’s day. Having got away with the handball, on 72 minutes he found himself bearing down on Robert Green’s goal from the left hand flank. Toure ambitiously tried to slot the ball between Green and his near post from a 45 degree angle. His shot hit the post and ricocheted off the unfortunate keeper’s back into the net.
Coming on as a substitute for Mario Balotelli, new England international Adam Johnson again gave a good account of himself and coolly rounded Green for City’s third having been played in by David Silva.
Johnson’s twinkling feet have caught the eye every time he has come onto the park this season, and he has shone even while surrounded by the club’s galaxy of foreign stars. He may well prove to be the most exciting home grown player to wear the sky blue since Mike Summerbee.
James Tomkins managed a consolation for West Ham with a couple of minutes left, but by that time many of the despondent home fans had already quit the ground.
It is the first time City has occupied such a lofty position at this juncture of the season since 1977, when they ultimately lost out to Liverpool by a single point. Interestingly, that particular City side included current assistant manger Brian Kidd. However, Roberto Mancini’s offsider is not about to get over-excited.
“You don’t win anything in December but if we’re still in the shake-up come March or April we can start to think in those tersms,“ Kidd told reporters from the Mail Online. ”The last time City were in this situation was in the ‘70s when I was there as a player.”
At Upton Park the visitors looked a class apart, and Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure gave them a deserved lead in the 29th minute.
The Hammers gave it a go after the break and should have had a penalty when the same Yaya Toure handled in the box. Everyone seemed to see the infringement except the match officials, and it was another testament to the old adage that when you’re down you somehow never seem to get the breaks.
By contrast it was certainly Yaya Toure’s day. Having got away with the handball, on 72 minutes he found himself bearing down on Robert Green’s goal from the left hand flank. Toure ambitiously tried to slot the ball between Green and his near post from a 45 degree angle. His shot hit the post and ricocheted off the unfortunate keeper’s back into the net.
Coming on as a substitute for Mario Balotelli, new England international Adam Johnson again gave a good account of himself and coolly rounded Green for City’s third having been played in by David Silva.
Johnson’s twinkling feet have caught the eye every time he has come onto the park this season, and he has shone even while surrounded by the club’s galaxy of foreign stars. He may well prove to be the most exciting home grown player to wear the sky blue since Mike Summerbee.
James Tomkins managed a consolation for West Ham with a couple of minutes left, but by that time many of the despondent home fans had already quit the ground.
