Filed under: Manchester City, Wolverhampton, Premier League, Football, Match Reports
Carlos Tevez's brace plus goals from brothers Kolo and Yaya Toure helped Manchester City recover from a woeful start to overcome Wolverhampton in an entertaining clash at Eastlands that saw City go to the top of the Premier League table.City knew three points would be enough to help them leapfrog neighbours Manchester United into the top spot yet they were distinctly average for vast swathes of this encounter before eventually asserting their authority and although Wolves did threaten a late comeback, City held on to record their seventh home win of the season.
Despite the appearance of new £27m signing Edin Dzeko, City were dreadful in the opening 30 minutes as Wolves demonstrated that what they lack in out-and-out quality they make up for in hard work and determination.
Mick McCarthy's side looked better organised, more inspired and more energetic than the home team so it was no surprise when Nenad Milijas gave them the lead after 12 minutes, courtesy of some woeful City defending.
A Matt Jarvis cross got City into terrible trouble at the back as Kolo Toure kicked his clearance directly at teammate Vincent Kompany who deflected the ball into the path of Milijas who could not miss from three yards out, despite Joe Hart's impressive attempt to keep the effort out.
Soon after, Stephen Hunt and Steven Fletcher combined to give Jarvis a glorious chance to make it 2-0 and he surely would have done it if Aleksandar Kolarov had not produced a wonderful diving block.
City looked inept and needed a huge slice of luck to equalise as a Kolo Toure effort drilled through a pack of Wolves defenders deflected in off David Jones.
That made it all square at the break and whatever Roberto Mancini said at half-time worked instantly as City eased into a quickfire 3-1 lead.
First, Tevez scored his 14th of the year as he wriggled past Christophe Berra, Hunt and Richard Stearman to slide the ball home after 49 minutes before Yaya Toure emulated his older brother by finishing a move he had started by comfortably beating Hennessey from 18 yards from Dzeko's through ball.
Wolves' disastrous spell after the break broke their resistance and City grew ever more comfortable before Tevez's second appeared to put the tie out of reach as he headed in Pablo Zabaleta's cross with ease.
After 68 minutes, Kevin Doyle scored a penalty he earned after Joleon Lescott bundled him over and when Ronald Zubar headed in from a corner with four minutes left, Wolves got a second wind but could not find the decisve touch to force a dramatic equaliser.
REACTION:
Mancini hailed Tevez after his brilliant brace helped Manchester City to victory:
"I am very happy to him because he scored two fantastic goals and took his goals very, very well. The first goal he scored was fantastic. I thought it was a difficult game and I told the guys before the game that."
On City's performance and their slow start:
"I thought we were so-so in the first 20 and Wolves pressed us well and we had some problems but we scored goals and had three of four other chances to score. However, I thought we lost our concentration towards the end because we thought it was finished but it is never finished."
On Dzeko's debut performance:
"He played well. It was his first game in 30 days and his first game with a new team but he played well. He needs to improve and work hard but I think he showed he is a good player."
On going to the top of the Premier League:
"We are happy after the result and I am happy for our supporters because they deserve this but the season is very long and we must improve because we cannot do the same mistakes as today in the last 10 minutes."
Wolves manager McCarthy was left to rue his side's lack of killer instinct during a dominant first half:
"Forget the disappointment, we should have been more goals up in the first half and I'm sat here disappointed that we lost.
"It's not about what they have got - I have a good group of lads and a good team. When we were on top we should have punished them more and I'm ill after their first goal because they had barely had a shot on goal."
On Tevez's goal:
"It was a brilliant goal from Carlos Tevez. People will criticise defenders but sometimes you have to say it was a great goal.
"A lot of teams would have laid down and had their arse slapped at 4-1 down but we didn't and that showed the character and spirit we have."
On fighting relegation:
"I don't think we are far away from where we were last season in terms of points and games played. We have just had a good run and we are playing well and if we get a few more players back we will be ok."
WHAT IT MEANS:
Although City's fans left Eastlands knowing their stay at the top of the table may only last until United play Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, at least they have the opportunity to say they sit on the summit at present. The win proved that City can score goals when given the chance to although Mancini will be unhappy with conceding three at home. As for Wolves, despite the loss, they will feel buoyant after an energetic performance that could easily have ended with a point, if not three. If they play like this between now and the end of the season they should have no problems in beating the drop.
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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/01/15/manchester-city-4-wolves-3-goals-galore-at-eastlands-but-tevez/
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