City 4 Stoke City 0
April 23rd 2016 att. 53,924
A comfortable win over Stoke took City back to third. A changed team with a game against Real Madrid coming up shortly deservedly took the lead at a corner - a good header by Fernando beating the 40 year old Shay Given. Aguero made it two nil from the spot with his 101st goal for City. So that's 22 goals in his last 21 games. Iheanacho was the player brought down and he made it four nil with two goals himself in the second half.
Stoke had a few chances but their finishing was pretty awful and Joe Hart only had to make one good save. Navas worked hard and actually put in some good crosses for once! Toure was a bit below par and limped off towards the end. Silva too is certainly not quite back to his best form and he too was subbed late on. After the very average performance at Newcastle it was good to see better form today but then Newcastle were much more desperate for points than Stoke City.
With the Madrid game coming up City rested several players but it was good to see Iheanacho starting with Aguero up front.
The changed kick-off date and time was probably the reason for a reduced attendance by both City and Stoke fans
The secret sniper made an early start as Diouf went down inured
Aguero managed to get the ball to Iheanacho whose shot only just went wide of the post
City fans are frustrated by the near miss
Given manages to beat Navas
Yaya Toure heads the corner clear
Given eventually clears a City corner
But on 35 minutes a further corner taken by Navas is glanced by Fernando......
..... past the diving Given and into the net to give City the lead
It's celebration time by the City fans and Fernando thanks Navas for his corner
Ten minutes later Shawcross blocks off Iheanacho and a penalty is awarded
Aguero belts the ball past Given to give City a two goal lead
Things were now looking a little more comfortable as half time arrived with a two goal lead for Man City
Joselu misses a good chance shooting over the bar
Stoke go back to back trying to stop Aguero!
Haugaard ( on for Given) saves from Iheanacho
Diouf heads wide at a corner
A Toure effort is easily saved by the sub keeper
on 59 minutes Amautovic beats Otamendi.....
.......but Hart brilliantly saves his shot and Mangala clears
A shot from Iheanacho goes wide
Stoke manager Mark Hughes hopes for better things!
Amautovic was proving difficult to stop
On 64 minutes Zabaleta overlapped down the right and crossed.....
....to the waiting Iheanacho who passed the ball into the net
Heavens above - that is three nil to City and the North Stand enjoy the moment
Toure and Amautovic tussle for the ball and both end up on the floor!
Otamendi has an effort blocked at a corner
After 74 minutes Bony passed to Iheanacho .....
...who rounded the keeper and shot for goal....
The Stoke defenders could not catch the ball as it crossed the line much to the delight of the City fans
4 nil to the home side and two goals for Iheancho
The ref has a chat with Kolarov and Imbula
a free kick by Imbula just goes over the bar
Yaya Toure is down again but carries on
Home time again after an easy three points and a boost to the goal difference -
roll on Tuesday and Real Madrid!
Team
Hart 6.5: Zabaleta 7, Otamendi 7, Mangala 7, Kolarov 7, Navas 7.5, Fernando 7.5 (Demichelis) , Toure 6.5, Silva 6.5 ( Delph) Iheanacho 8.5, Aguero 7 ( Bony)
