Reading 0 Manchester City 2

FA Premier League
Tuesday 14 May 2013, 20.00 KO

City: Hart, Richards (c), K Toure (Maicon 15), Lescott, Clichy, Y Toure, Barry (Garcia 58), Milner, Silva, Tevez, Aguero (Dzeko 63)
Unused: Pantilimon, Kolarov, Nasri, Rodwell
Goals: Aguero (40), Dzeko (88)
Booked: Barry

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Man of the Match: James Milner

The game began to a chorus of Mancini chants from the away end and it was the visitors who were quickest out of the blocks. Within four minutes, City had wasted a good chance from the edge of the box as Milner skied his shot, Aguero had an effort saved and the rebound blocked, and a long potshot from Silva was well held by McCarthy. City’s post-Mancini era had started with them on the front foot.

On six minutes, City really should have been ahead. The ball was given away on the edge of the Reading box and Tevez slipped it through to Milner. His shot was well blocked by McCarthy, but the rebound fell invitingly for Aguero. The Argentine raced onto it and nearly found the back of the net, but, once again, the goalkeeper managed to block it behind.

Reading then had a spell of possession thanks to some sloppy City play. Kolo Toure had to leave the game with injury, before a bad throw from Joe Hart allowed the home side to take the ball. Robson-Kanu took on a shot from the edge of the box, but the goalkeeper recovered to save it comfortably. And the game subsequently became scrappy, as both sides began to give the ball away in the wet conditions.

With half an hour played, both sides had great chances to take the lead. Reading forced a great save from Hart, as a low shot skipped off the ground and needed to be pushed away. At the other end, Yaya Toure was played in by Aguero and he found Tevez in the middle, but he couldn’t dig the ball from his feet and McCarthy was out to smother the effort.

A flowing move from the visitors almost led to the opening goal with 39 minutes played. Silva was played in cutely by Maicon and the Spaniard’s low ball into the box was left by Tevez for Aguero. He shot first time, but it was deflected over. From the resulting corner – which was taken short – a series of one-twos between Milner and Silva gave the England international the chance to square it low. He picked out Aguero, who opened his body to divert the ball into the back of the net.

With the half coming to a close, there was more brilliant football from the visitors. Aguero via Maicon found Toure and he ran at the box. He slipped it to Milner, who did the same back to Aguero and, after dancing around the last-ditch challenge, he fired at goal, but it was well saved once again. The rebound fell nicely for Clichy, but his effort was over the bar.

The second half started much how the first ended: Both sides attacked and there could have been goals aplenty. McCarthy palmed out a Tevez low cross straight between Barry and Milner lurked on the edge of the box, before Hart pulled off a brilliant stop from Pogrebnyak, as he skipped away from Maicon to head at goal. Tevez then robbed the ball in the Reading box, but his shot was deflected over. It was all go.

With 56 minutes played, City produced yet more fantastic build-up. One touch passing allowed Tevez the chance to touch it back to Toure on the edge of the box, and the Ivorian’s effort was aimed at the bottom corner. McCarthy, though, got down well to push the ball behind. Even though it was only a one goal advantage, the away side were cruising.

With 20 minutes to play, Reading’s first corner of the game was well defended by the visitors, who were then able to break away. Silva carried the ball towards the opposition box, before slipping it through to Dzeko, who was just onside. He cut back onto his left side to sell a dummy to the defender, but could only pick out McCarthy’s gloves. Toure did the same as a deflected Maicon effort fell nicely for the midfielder on the edge of the area.

Seven minutes later, a Reading free kick held in the wind and dropped nicely for McCleary to shoot at goal. It was deflected and, with Hart committed to the first effort, it dropped behind with the England goalkeeper only able to watch. From the corner, Tevez was in the right place at the right time to head it clear from the line.

As the game headed towards full time, the visitors managed to finally add another goal to their tally for the evening, having converted the second of their many, many chances. Dzeko missed the opportunity to square for Tevez, but it broke kindly for Silva. He picked out Dzeko again, once he was back onside, and the Bosnian side-stepped the challenge before sliding the ball under McCarthy.

City cruised to victory with perhaps their performance of the season and they secured second place in the table.

Manchester City 0 Wigan Athletic 1

FA Cup Final
Saturday 11 May 2013, 17.15 KO

City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany (c), Nastasic, Clichy, Y Toure, Barry (Dzeko 90), Silva, Nasri (Milner 55), Tevez (Rodwell 69), Aguero
Unused: Pantilimon, Kolarov, Lescott, Garcia
Goals: -
Booked: Zabaleta, Nastasic, Barry
Sent Off: Zabaleta

Referee: Andre Marriner
Man of the Match: Carlos Tevez

City walked out at Wembley for the fifth time under Roberto Mancini for their second FA Cup final in three seasons, but it was the underdogs in Wigan who got off to the better start. An early free kick for City was hit into the wall by Tevez and the rebound effort at goal by Toure was comfortably pushed away by Joel. But that was as good as it got for the blues in the opening stages.

Aguero lost possession mid-way in the Wigan half and it gave them the chance to break: McManaman turned Clichy on City’s left and found Kone on the opposite flank. He held it up and returned it to the midfielder, who had ghosted past Nastasic into a pocket of space in the box, but his shot curled wide of the post. Joe Hart was left rooted to the spot.

It was soon all Wigan pressure: Maloney volleyed a cross from the edge of the box right at Nastasic and the fans at the other end of the ground appealed for handball, though it would have been a very harsh penalty, having rolled off the defender’s knee first. It was the same player again who, having cut in from the left, took on a shot towards Hart’s bottom left corner, but it was just wide.

Mid-way through the half, City created their best chance of the game. Nasri cut inside from the left flank and slipped a ball in behind the full-back for Silva to chase. He centred it, looking for anybody arriving in the middle, and it fell nicely for Tevez. He tried to place the ball back across the goalkeeper, but Joel managed to get his toe to the ball while diving the other way, and divert it over the bar.

Wigan responded. Following a Toure blocked shot, the underdogs broke away. Kone managed to slip the ball through for McManaman to chase and he left Nastasic and Kompany for dead, to race through on Hart. The speed of the break took him wide, but Hart committed himself and the midfielder was able to take it around him. Zabaleta recovered to slow him down and allow Hart time to get back into position, but another McManaman turn left the goalkeeper stranded. When the midfielder shot, though, Zabaleta was in the right place to block. It was a let off.

The City fans would have been expecting a completely different City to emerge from the tunnel at half time. To an extent that was true, as they started the half on the front foot, but they were still very much below par. Tevez’s low cross to the near post was met on the slide by Aguero, but Boyce got the last touch to knock it behind for a corner. A Silva cross then led to a Wigan breakaway, that Zabaleta stopped cynically and he saw yellow.

But soon, Wigan were putting the blues under pressure again. It remained goalless thanks to a brilliant challenge from Kompany, coming across from the right side of the box to slide to block from McManaman, after he had stepped around Clichy and Silva. A free kick from the right wing was then crossed towards the back-post by Maloney and, with Hart standing and watching, it dropped onto the top of the bar and away.

A loose ball from Barry was then more costly than simply allowing Wigan a chance to break. Trying to find Kompany, his ball was cut out and McManaman was through on goal. Kompany and Nastasic couldn’t get back to cover and Zabaleta was forced to commit himself to the challenge. He missed the ball and took all of the man, resulting in his second yellow card.

As the board went up for stoppage time, Clichy inadvertently knocked the ball behind for a corner following a challenge with McManaman. From that kick, Watson was left totally unmarked on the corner of the six-yard box and he connected to nod it straight past Joe Hart. With only two minutes of the game to play, it was enough to win the game for Wigan.

In truth, City never turned up and Wigan fully deserved to lift the cup.

Manchester City 1 West Bromwich Albion 0

FA Premier League
Tuesday 7 May 2013, 19.45 KO

City: Hart, Richards (c), K Toure, Lescott, Kolarov, Milner, Rodwell (Maicon 75), Garcia, Nasri (Barry 73), Tevez (Razak 90), Dzeko
Unused: Pantilimon, Nastasic, Silva, Aguero
Goals: Dzeko (34)
Booked: Kolarov, Nasri

Referee: Phil Dowd
Man of the Match: Micah Richards

It was a frantic start to the game, with both sides pushing to take the early advantage. Richards came back into the starting line up and announced it with a trademark run down the right. Lukaku smashed a shot just wide of the post, with Hart at full stretch, before the England keeper was alert to stop a powerful header from the Belgian.

With 20 minutes played, City came alive and began to take the game to the visitors. Myhill spilt a cross from the left straight to the feet of Rodwell, but the midfielder couldn’t adjust quickly enough and missed the target with his effort. Kolarov was then perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch, as he came close to decapitating Tamas… okay, maybe a slight exaggeration, but his foot was high and the Albion man ducked into the header causing a collision. The referee showed leniency and showed a yellow card.

City stepped it up: Tevez curled an effort over the bar from the edge of the box, before Milner smashed an effort wide as it broke to him in the box. Rodwell then missed his kick as Kolarov’s cross bounced to him inside the area and, from the very same move, the ball found Tevez on the edge of the box and he smashed a shot into the crossbar.

And as the hosts had got on top, they went on to take the lead. Tevez broke down the right flank and found a cross to Dzeko arriving in the area. It was just behind the Bosnian, who adjusted to side-foot volley at goal. It beat the defender and Myhill got a touch, but he couldn’t keep it out and the home side made their pressure pay.

As half time approached, Rodwell had a shot deflected wide that left the goalkeeper rooted, before Milner struck the foot of the post from long range, as the home side looked to double their advantage. The half came to a close with City pressure and the blues deserved to be in the lead.

However, the second half was a different story: It started when Rosenburg smashed a free kick into the crossbar with the goalkeeper nowhere near it and, from the rebound, Hart made a brilliant save to scoop the ball away from the line, as Jones tried to force it into the net. Hart was in action shortly after, tipping Morrison’s low drive around the post, before Kolo Toure blocked from Lukaku, as West Brom countered.

There was some relief for the home defence on the hour mark, as the hosts should have scored their second goal of the night. Dzeko fired in a shot that was blocked, after receiving a low ball into the box. Tevez tried a shot from the rebound, which was again blocked on the line, before it was crossed to Rodwell at the back post, but his volley was pushed behind by Myhill.

With ten minutes to play, Long escaped Lescott’s attention and fired in a shot, but it was inches wide of the post. Maicon then unleashed an effort from the edge of the six-yard box, as he tried to smash an outside-of-the-foot shot towards the top corner. It probably seemed like a good idea at the time, but the fans saw the funny side as the second tier of the North Stand took the brunt of the shot.

It became end-to-end for the final few minutes, as Odemwingie fired over from just inside the box, before Milner picked out the gloves of Myhill as City looked to secure the points. Barry also had an effort from the edge of the box easily collected by the goalkeeper, following a bursting forward run by Maicon.

City held out, though, and secured Champions League football for the third season running.

Swansea City 0 Manchester City 0

FA Premier League
Saturday 4 May 2013, 15.00 KO

City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany (c), Nastasic, Clichy, Y Toure (Dzeko 45), Barry, Nasri, Silva (Rodwell 85), Milner, Aguero (Tevez 78)
Unused: Pantilimon, K Toure, Kolarov, Garcia
Goals: -
Booked: -

Referee: Mike Jones
Man of the Match: David Silva

It was a slow start from two teams whose league seasons are seemingly meandering to a close – City looking comfortable in second place and Swansea safe from the threat of relegation – and it was Barry would provided the earliest spark. He stole the ball in the home side’s half and drove at goal, finding Milner and his low cross was almost deflected into his own net by Flores. A shot from Barry then almost set Swansea on the counter, were in not for Nastasic’s intervention.

With 16 minutes played, Swansea had a great chance to take the lead. A ball in behind Clichy allowed Dyer to cross low towards Hernandez unmarked inside the area. Faced with a chance to shoot, he scooped his effort over the bar. A one-two then got the hosts in behind the City back line, but Nasri was there to nick the ball away and behind. Seconds later, Michu side-footed wide when he was unmarked inside the six-yard box.

Around ten minutes later, Dyer pulled a brilliant ball down and drove towards the box. He centred for Routledge to shoot, but his effort from ten yards out was straight at Hart and the England goalkeeper was able to hold it comfortably. Swansea had grown into the game, while City were struggling to get started.

Just after the half hour, Hernandez was clean through on goal and drew Hart off his line. He turned to try and find the shot, but with defenders recovering, he skewed the effort wide of the post. City then gave the ball away from the resulting dead ball, but the decision to shoot from Dyer was the wrong one and the visitors were let off again.

A deep ball in from Barry found Nasri with the chance to turn and shoot inside the six-yard box. It dropped over Williams – perhaps unexpectedly for the Frenchman – and he tried to volley it past Vorm. He couldn’t make a clean contact, though, and it sat up nicely for the Swansea goalkeeper to collect. Some intricate play in the Swansea box should have resulted in the visitors taking the lead, but Nasri’s effort was weak and blocked, with Milner square.

With seven minutes of the half to play, City should have conceded a penalty. Michu tried to flick the ball past Nastasic and the centre-back brought him down as the Swansea forward tried to dodge around him. It was a clumsy challenge and he won none of the ball. At the other end, some patient play almost got the visitors the lead – Aguero was through and Silva nicked it off him to shoot, but Williams was there to block. The rebound broke for Aguero, but Vorm was out quickly to save.

From a Swansea corner in the opening stages of the second half, City could have been in front again. Silva broke away and was all alone until Dzeko caught up with him. The Spaniard slipped it through and Dzeko was one-on-one with the covering defender. He slid it back to Silva, who found Aguero on the blindside, but he miscontrolled at the vital time and it bounced behind.

Just after the hour mark, it was City’s turn to be denied a penalty: Dzeko knocked the ball past Flores, who had gone down early to block the move. The defender didn’t play the ball and Dzeko went down over the challenge, but the referee waved away the appeals.

With seven minutes to play, it should have been City who stole the points. A cute ball from Tevez as he regained possession slid Zabaleta in behind on the right flank. He managed to keep the ball in and chip to the back post, where Dzeko was waiting. He was faced with a virtual open goal, with Vorm struggling to get across, and somehow the Bosnian fired wide.

A minute later, it was Silva’s turn to miss a golden opportunity: Dzeko, trying to make up for his miss moments earlier, cut inside from the left flank and shot. It was blocked to the centre of the box, where Silva was arriving late, and he side-footed his finish well wide of the post, with all of the goal to aim at.

With 90 seconds of stoppage time to play, City had a late chance to steal the points, as Nasri curled a cross to Dzeko. His header was held by Vorm, as Rodwell sniffed around for any potential rebounds.

A bore draw.

Manchester City 2 West Ham United 1

FA Premier League
Saturday 27 April 2013, 12.45 KO

City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany (c), Lescott, Clichy, Barry, Y Toure, Silva (Milner 78), Nasri (K Toure 88), Tevez (Garcia 84), Aguero
Unused: Pantilimon, Kolarov, Nastasic, Dzeko
Goals: Aguero (28), Y Toure (83)
Booked: Zabaleta

Referee: Howard Webb
Man of the Match: Carlos Tevez

Despite enjoying the early possession, City found it difficult to break through the two banks of four that had been set up by the West Ham defence. With eight minutes on the clock, Tevez had an effort from the edge of the box, but he probably didn’t catch it as well as he’d hoped and it dropped nicely for Jaaskelainen to collect. It was a stuttered start to the game and West Ham were defiant and stout in their defending.

With almost 20 minutes played, a corner from the left was cleared as far as Barry on the edge of the box. He brought it down on his chest, but was fouled before he could get a shot away. Advantage was played as it bounced to Silva, who smashed a left-footed effort through the crowded penalty area. It didn’t take a touch off anybody and finished just wide of the far post.

Tevez was next to miss an effort from the edge of the box, as some neat play from Nasri worked the ball through to the Argentine. He couldn’t get over the shot, though, and it dropped into the fans behind the goal. A minute later, his compatriot Aguero received a stroke of luck as a return ball from Silva towards Tevez was deflected to him unmarked in the box. He scuffed the effort, though, and it smacked into the post.

Just before the half hour, the goal that had been threatened finally arrived. One-touch build-up play from Toure, Silva and Nasri left the Frenchman free on the by-line to cross low into the box. Aguero had pulled off his man and received the pass, shooting through Jaaskelainen and into the back of the net. The blues were deservedly in front.

From the very next attack, it should have been two: Jaaskelainen spilled a Nasri shot from the edge of the box and Zabaleta was following up unmarked. It was a difficult effort on his left foot, but, as he prodded it towards goal, Jaaskelainen managed to nudge the ball behind for a corner.

The visitors came into the game more in the second half. They started the brighter, without really testing Hart, but still putting the home side under pressure. It was City who came up with the first real chance after the break, as Nasri scooped a wonderful lob to Tevez, but the striker’s volley was blocked as he tried to score against his old club.

Carroll couldn’t get a header from a deep cross on target, as he started to get into the game, before Tevez missed a brilliant chance to double City’s lead, as he tried to mimic Aguero’s opener and drop off his marker, but Jaaskelainen managed to block the shot. Nasri then conspired to miss a Tevez cross with an open goal in front of him, before Aguero was somehow foiled by Jaaskelainen after the goalkeeper had spilled the initial shot.

Seconds after West Ham let City off the hook – as a free ball in the penalty area was poked wide by Collins – the blues doubled their advantage in style. Yaya Toure picked the ball up on the right corner of the visitors’ area and cut inside onto his left foot. With a yard of space, he curled a shot right into the top far corner, leaving Jaaskelainen with no chance of keeping it out.

As the game entered stoppage time, there was a worry for City as Hart went down injured and the home side had used all three substitutes. Seemingly struggling, he carried on and managed to pull off another great save to keep Carroll out as he headed towards the bottom corner. However, with virtually the last kick of the game, the big striker smashed a shot straight at the City keeper, who missed his catch and it dropped through his legs into the net.

No doubt the back problem will have played a part, but nevertheless Hart will be disappointed in not claiming another clean sheet this season, especially that late in the game.

Tottenham Hotspur 3 Manchester City 1

FA Premier League
Sunday 21 April 2013, 13.30 KO

City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany (c), Nastasic, Clichy (Lescott 90), Barry, Y Toure, Milner (Kolarov 45), Nasri, Tevez, Dzeko (Sinclair 83)
Unused: Pantilimon, K Toure, Garcia, Aguero
Goals: Nasri (5)
Booked: Y Toure, Hart

Referee: Lee Mason
Man of the Match: James Milner

The early pressure from the home side had City on the ropes to begin with, as Kompany was needed to put in a last ditch tackle to deny Parker a shot at goal, before Bale had a go from range. Hart managed to hold it at the second attempt, after it swerved all over the shop in front of him. A cross from the right was then spilt by the goalkeeper, but he recovered before Adebayor could get to the loose ball.

Despite that, though, it was the visitors who took the lead. Brilliant work from Tevez saw him keep the ball by the right corner flag, despite the company of two defenders. He slipped it through to Milner, whose low cross picked out Nasri at the back post and the Frenchman found the bottom corner.

With 20 minutes played, Tottenham had a great chance to equalise. Walker was played neatly in behind Nasri and he was through one-on-one with Hart. He got his head up, looking for the square pass, but couldn’t see an option and chose to take on the shot. That delay allowed Hart time to get off his line and block the effort brilliantly.

Seven minutes later, City should have been two goals to the good. A neat touch from Tevez turned the ball around the corner for Nasri to face goal. He skipped inside the first challenge and around the second, but Lloris was on top of him quickly and he had to stretch to get the touch. He got it past the Tottenham keeper, but it was just wide of the post.

Tottenham stepped up the pressure with 37 minutes played, as Bale smashed a free kick from long, long range into City’s two-man wall. The second delivery into the box allowed Dempsey to get the wrong side of Clichy, but the French full back manager to recover to get the ball behind for a corner, before the Spurs man could shoot.

A moment later, Tevez did well to slide Dzeko through on goal and the Bosnian should have done better than force Lloris into a comfortable save. He was under pressure from the covering defender and on his wrong foot, but the shot was weak and too close to the goalkeeper. A corner to the back post then resulted in Tevez getting a glancing header towards goal, following Nastasic’s nod back, but he couldn’t force it past Lloris.

On the stroke of half time, Tottenham would have been going into the break level had it not been for a brilliant block from Zabaleta. In truth, the Argentine knew nothing about it, but he was in the right place at the right time to prevent the ball hitting the net, after a low ball into the box deflected to the middle. It was a let off for the visitors.

Two minutes into the second half, it was Tottenham’s turn to be fortunate with cards: Assou-Ekotto could have seen red for a two-footed lunge at Zabaleta, but he was lucky that it was just a yellow and Zabaleta didn’t make a meal of it. It was a bitty start to the second period that the hosts just about edged, though neither goalkeeper had work to do.

A free kick on the edge of the City box was skied by Bale, before, at the other end, a neat move broke down as Zabaleta crossed into the box. Dawson’s cross, though, landed straight to the feet of Yaya Toure, who smashed his effort first time at the near post. Lloris, though, was across well to hold the snap-shot.

With just over 15 minutes to go, the goal that had been coming came. City were under pressure and a low ball from Bale across the face of goal found Dempsey unmarked at the back post and onside. He had a virtual open goal, with Hart taken out of commission by the cross, and he wasn’t going to miss. The home side were level.

Three minutes later, the home side were ahead. A through ball by Holtby found Defoe behind Kompany. He cut inside and curled a powerful shot towards the back post and Hart couldn’t reach it, as it nestled into the bottom corner.

Another three minutes on and Tottenham were out of sight: Bale was slipped in behind Clichy and found himself one-on-one with Hart. As the goalkeeper came out, he dinked it over him and it dropped into the middle of the goal. City were paying the price for not taking their chances when on top of the game.

It was a game that summed up City’s season: Good in spells, but not good enough overall.

Manchester City 1 Wigan Athletic 0

FA Premier League
Wednesday 17 April 2013, 19.45 KO

City: Hart, Richards (Sinclair 83), Kompany (c), Lescott, Kolarov, Garcia (Milner 59), Y Toure, Barry, Nasri, Aguero (Dzeko 45), Tevez
Unused: Pantilimon, K Toure, Clichy, Rodwell
Goals: Tevez (83)
Booked: Richards, Tevez

Referee: Jonathan Moss
Man of the Match: Samir Nasri

It was a slow start to the match, with Wigan unable to make the most of a couple of half chances to fall their way, as the City defence blocked. Kolarov went close with a free kick, but it was wide of Joel’s post. City were beginning to take charge of possession, but they were able to create very little of note in terms of chance. Meanwhile, Wigan were looking dangerous on the break.

With 20 minutes played, Aguero received the ball and turned into the Wigan box. He did well to jink in and out of two of the visitors’ defenders, but his final effort was wide of the far post. He tried to curl it in, but it never swung back towards goal, as Tevez waited in the middle for the cut back that never came.

On 38 minutes, the visitors should have been in front. Kone missed a great opportunity to get a shot on target as he peeled free in the box following a quick free kick, before Hart was needed to produce one of the best saves he’s made this season, blocking from Di Santo as he skipped two challenges to get one-on-one in the box. Hart, though, was off his line quickly to block the shot, leaving Kolarov to clear.

Five minutes into the second half and it was still the visitors who were on top. Maloney beat Hart with a shot, but Lescott had dropped onto the line behind his goalkeeper to block it and get the ball away from danger. The Wigan pressure was clear affecting City, as Yaya Toure was caught in possession and Hart put a clearance straight out of play.

City switched back to 4-4-2, having gone to a back three at half time, and it had an effect in getting the blues on top of the game. Dzeko soon enough found himself onside and in behind the Wigan defence, but his spin and shot was well blocked by the foot of Joel.

As it looked like it would be a frustrating evening for City’s fans, a moment of inspiration caused the break-through. Tevez’s cute dragback on the edge of the box allowed him time to burst into the area. He curled his shot into the top corner by the near post and Joel was left flapping at thin air. City didn’t deserve the lead, but they had it.

City finished the stronger, looking for the goal that would seal the game: Kolarov won back possession and smashed a low cross through the box, but Sinclair couldn’t quite stretch to meet it, before a Tevez free kick curled just wide of the post.

It wasn’t a classic, but it was three more points on the board for the blues.