Manchester City vs. Swansea: Score, Grades and Reaction from EPL Game
Yaya Toure scored the second-half winner as Manchester City came from behind to defeat visiting Swansea City 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday at the Etihad Stadium.
Swansea had led through Wilfried Bony's volleyed ninth-minute strike, but City equalised through Stevan Jovetic 10 minutes later. With the match still level in the 62nd minute, Toure finished off a fine move to give City all three points in a character-testing victory.
With the win, Manuel Pellegrini's side remained within eight points of Premier League leaders Chelsea, who won again Saturday at home to West Brom. Up next for City is a key match at second-placed Southampton next Sunday. In order to keep alive their hopes of catching Chelsea, City probably will have to avoid defeat on the south coast.
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Swansea, who entered Saturday in fifth place, missed a chance to climb into the top four with a draw or win. Garry Monk's side will try to get back on track next Saturday at home to Crystal Palace.
Swansea started well and took a deserved lead in the ninth minute. Nathan Dyer was the architect, spotting Bony's run into the box and lofting a precise chip into the striker's path. Bony pulled down the ball expertly and slotted past Hart for a 1-0 Swansea lead.
It was Swansea's first-ever goal at the Etihad, but the lead didn't last long. In the 19th minute, Manchester City pulled level. Jesus Navas crossed from the right, picking out an unmarked Jovetic in the middle of the box. With his first touch, Jovetic swept in to make the score 1-1.
Tempers began to fray midway through the half as Swansea's Neil Taylor left the pitch to have blood cleaned off his face following a high challenge by Vincent Kompany.
As half-time approached, City created the better chances. In the 36th minute, Samir Nasri picked out Sergio Aguero with a clever reverse pass on the right. Aguero shot from a tight angle, but Lukasz Fabianski saved.
Gael Clichy came close four minutes later with a powerful strike from distance. Fabianski saved again, though, pushing the shot onto the far post.
After the break, Aguero had a shot deflected just wide in the 49th minute. At the other end, Hart saved comfortably from Gylfi Sigurdsson three minutes later. Toure came close in the 61st minute with a low shot, but Fabianski saved again despite being unsighted by the crowd of players in his box.
The signs were building that City had another goal in them, and Toure wasn't to be denied moments later. Following a Swansea giveaway, City worked the ball to Fernandinho just inside the box. Spotting Toure's run on goal, Fernandinho played a back-heel pass to the Ivorian, who finished past Fabianski to give City their first lead.
City nearly put the game away in the 83rd minute, but Fabianski made a good save to keep out Navas' low shot. Three minutes later at the other end, Bafetimbi Gomis shot wide after being played through on City's goal.
Swansea came close again in stoppage time as substitute Jonjo Shelvey's deflected free-kick fluttered inches wide of the post. It turned out to be the visitors' last chance, though, and City were relieved to collect the full three points at full-time.
Grades
| Joe Hart | 6.3 |
| Pablo Zabaleta | 7.1 |
| Vincent Kompany | 6.6 |
| Martin Demichelis | 7.3 |
| Gael Clichy | 6.7 |
| Jesus Navas | 7.5 |
| Fernandinho | 7.6 |
| Yaya Toure | 8.5 |
| Samir Nasri | 6.9 |
| Stevan Jovetic | 7.9 |
| Sergio Aguero | 6.6 |
| Frank Lampard (for Jovetic, 70') | 6.4 |
| James Milner (for Nasri, 79') | 6.0 |
| Fernando (for Fernandinho, 88') | 6.1 |
| Lukasz Fabianski | 8.1 |
| Angel Rangel | 7.7 |
| Kyle Bartley | 7.1 |
| Ashley Williams | 6.9 |
| Neil Taylor | 6.6 |
| Ki Sung-Yueng | 6.9 |
| Tom Carroll | 6.8 |
| Gylfi Sigurdsson | 6.6 |
| Nathan Dyer | 7.2 |
| Jefferson Montero | 7.0 |
| Wilfried Bony | 7.4 |
| Jonjo Shelvey (for Carroll, 67') | 6.1 |
| Modou Barrow (for Dyer, 77') | 6.4 |
| Bafetimbi Gomis (for Sigurdsson, 79') | 5.8 |
Reaction
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini (via PremierLeague.com):
"I am very happy because we won the game. We played very well and had a lot of chances to score the third goal and we defended well. It was a difficult start because they scored with their only chance in the first half.
We are absolutely confident the way we play and sure we are going to win the game. If we scored the third goal we could play well and not so tight.
We had the chances but didn't score. The best way to score goals is to play as a team. The second goal was beautiful play. We have to play seven games more before the end of December and we have to fight for all of them.
"
Swansea City manager Garry Monk (via PremierLeague.com):
"We are a little disappointed but they are a very good side and they had their chances. We had a couple of chances at the end we should have taken. I am just very happy with the journey we are on. We are competing in every game.
We got a good goal and the players' mentality changed a little bit as we tried to protect it. A learning process for us, the players are fully committed. We pushed an exceptional team very, very close.
Of course Manchester City will push for the title, I don't doubt that.
"
