West Brom vs. Manchester City: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Manchester City kept pace with Premier League leaders Chelsea with a 3-1 victory away to West Bromwich Albion on Friday in snowy conditions at the Hawthorns.
Fernando gave City an early lead following an error by West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster. Yaya Toure doubled the visitors' advantage from the penalty spot shortly thereafter, and David Silva added the third goal 11 minutes before the break.
Brown Ideye scored a late consolation for West Brom, who wasted multiple chances in the first half.
"We have to play three games in just a week so it was very important to start this week by winning this game away against a difficult team," Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said, per MCFC.co.uk.
Pellegrini added: "It is very important to continue in the way we are playing because we have won the last nine games including the Champions League."
Seven of those nine wins have come in the Premier League for City, who remain in second place, three points behind Chelsea.
Here are our winners and losers from the match.
Winner: City's Counter-attacks, Which Covered for a Lack of Strikers
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City remain short on strikers, but it hardly mattered against West Brom. With Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic all missing out through injury, City still managed to score three goals before half-time.
Fernando grabbed the first with an opportunistic strike, taking advantage of an error by Foster. Toure converted the second from the penalty spot, and Silva capped off the first half with a goal on the counter in the 34th minute.
City consistently created danger on counters—so much, in fact, that a fit, in-form striker probably could have hit a hat-trick. As Manchester Evening News writer Stuart Brennan noted on Twitter, one can only wonder what Aguero would have accomplished against West Brom's shambolic defending.
Loser: Ben Foster, Whose Error Led to City's Opener
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Ben Foster was at fault for City's opener, spilling a cross inside his box. Fernando took advantage with an acrobatic overhead kick to net the visitors' first goal.
In the giving spirit of Christmas, one could argue that Foster had to deal with tough conditions in the cold and snow. But the cross in question held up in the air for some time before coming down, meaning Foster had enough time to deal with it properly. He didn't, and it cost his side a goal.
City goalkeeper Joe Hart also made an error that led to West Brom's lone goal late in the second half, but although Hart's error was costly and avoidable, it did not affect the outcome of the match in the same way that Foster's mistake clearly did.
Winner: David Silva, Who Was Excellent Again
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Silva turned in another excellent performance, scoring City's third goal late in the first half and contributing frequently to his side's most dangerous attacks.
Friday's strong performance came immediately after Silva scored twice in City's 3-0 win at home over Crystal Palace last weekend. As Bleacher Report's Rob Pollard noted on Twitter, Silva's performance on Friday resembled some of his best work from last season.
Like all other Premier League teams, City face a grueling fixture list this holiday season. After Friday's win, Manuel Pellegrini's side have just one day to rest before hosting Burnley on Sunday. Then, the Citizens host Sunderland on New Year's Day.
It makes for a busy holiday period, and if City are to keep pace with Chelsea, they'll need top performances from some of their top players—Silva included.
Loser: West Brom's Finishing, Which Was Poor
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Manchester City were good value for their win, but West Brom made their own task considerably more difficult with poor finishing.
Saido Berahino wasted a pair of good chances in the first half, missing the target twice when played clear through on goal. Craig Gardner was guilty as well, shooting straight at Hart in the 36th minute despite having plenty of time to pick his spot.
The Baggies had another good chance early in the second half, but Silvestre Varela volleyed wide when unmarked at the back post. Later in the half, Joleon Lescott headed over from close range, spurning yet another opportunity.
By the time Ideye pulled back a late consolation goal, it was too late for a real comeback.
West Brom started the day just two points above the relegation places. Alan Irvine's men probably did not expect to beat City, but if they had taken their chances in the first half, they might have had a better chance. As the relegation fight wears on, the Baggies will have to eliminate errors at both sides of the pitch.
Winner: Premier League Fans, Who Will Continue to Enjoy the Title Race
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City started the day three points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea. After both teams won, the gap will remain three points for at least a couple more days.
The intrigue continues on Sunday, as Chelsea travel to Southampton and City host Burnley. Manuel Pellegrini's side will fancy their chances against Burnley, who remain in the relegation zone after Friday's action.
Chelsea will also expect to win, but Southampton, who moved up to fourth on Friday with a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace, could put up strong resistance at Stamford Bridge.
No matter how it plays out, the Premier League title race promises excitement throughout the festive period.
