Manchester City vs. West Brom: Score, Grades, Reaction from Premier League
Wilfried Bony scored his first goal for Manchester City in a 3-0 victory at home to 10-man West Bromwich Albion on Saturday in the Premier League.
Bony, making just his second start for the Sky Blues, netted in the 27th minute for his 10th Premier League goal of the season and his first since signing for City from Swansea in January. Fernando netted the second five minutes before half-time, and David Silva added the third in the second half, as the hosts dominated with their numerical advantage.
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West Brom played nearly the entire match with 10 men after referee Neil Swarbrick controversially sent off Gareth McAuley in the second minute, apparently in a case of mistaken identity. The dismissal followed an incident in which Craig Dawson committed an early foul on Bony, denying a goalscoring opportunity after the Manchester City man had raced onto an errant back pass.
The decision, if it was indeed a case of mistaken identity, echoed a similar situation with Arsenal last season—when Kieran Gibbs drew a red card instead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain—and another with Sunderland this term, when Wes Brown saw red for a John O'Shea foul.
Yet another high-profile case of mistaken identity—the third time in two seasons—once again called into question the competency of the Premier League's match officials. On Twitter, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher took the opportunity to call for video replay in such situations:
The win took City within three points of Premier League leaders Chelsea, at least temporarily. Having played two fewer matches, Chelsea can still build a substantial lead atop the table, starting with their match at Hull City on Sunday.
While Saturday's result might have little effect on the title race in the end, the performance at least gave City a platform on which to build for the rest of the campaign. Manuel Pellegrini's side came into the match on a low after crashing out of the UEFA Champions League against Barcelona midweek. By dominating West Brom, City will at least have new momentum for the final eight games of the league season.
Not that West Brom were able to put up much resistance, with the early dismissal severely limiting manager Tony Pulis' options. The Baggies might feel hard done by the decision to send off McAuley, but in truth Dawson's foul was worthy of a dismissal.
Up next for Man City in the Premier League is a match at Crystal Palace on April 6. West Brom, who began the day in 13th place, eight points clear of the relegation zone, host QPR on April 4.
Pellegrini made six changes to his side following the loss to Barcelona midweek in the Champions League, drafting Pablo Zabaleta, Eliaquim Mangala, Gael Clichy, Fernando, Jesus Navas and Bony into the starting XI.
The changes had little time to settle in before the match erupted with controversy. With less than two minutes on the clock, Bony intercepted a poor back pass in West Brom's half and immediately advanced on goal. Dawson rushed in to make a challenge, fouling Bony, before McAuley committed a second foul on the Ivorian inside the box.
Swarbrick blew his whistle, awarding a free-kick for the foul outside the box and brandishing a red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity. But instead of sending off Dawson, who committed his foul outside the box, the referee dismissed McAuley.
West Brom's players protested, but the decision stood, reducing the visitors to 10 men for the final 88 minutes. Not surprisingly, City dominated the game from that point on, holding the vast majority of possession and creating numerous chances in both halves.
But for all their attacking, and their numerical advantage, City had to wait until the 27th minute to find the opener. It came with a dash of good fortune, as a Fernando pass deflected kindly for Bony, who pulled down the ball expertly inside the box to set himself up for the chance. The Ivorian still had plenty of work to do, turning and then firing past Boaz Myhill for a 1-0 City lead.
From there, it was a question of how many City would score.
The hosts' second goal arrived in the 40th minute, with West Brom providing a helpful hand. After Navas curled in a corner from the right, Jonas Olsson attempted to clear but instead mishit the ball into a dangerous position inside the box. Myhill rushed off his line to clear but inadvertently set up Fernando, who slotted in gratefully for 2-0.
Myhill made a series of saves late in the first half to keep his side within two goals of City. In the 44th minute, the Welsh goalkeeper stopped Sergio Aguero and then Pablo Zabaleta on the rebound. In stoppage time, he saved again, denying Aguero from an acute angle on the left.
The theme continued after the interval, with City throwing wave after wave of attacks at West Brom. In the 51st minute, Aguero cut to the byline on the right before forcing a save from a tight angle. Moments later, Bony fired wide of the post.
In the 55th minute, Myhill stopped Aguero again, this time with a reaction save from close range after Aguero attempted to turn in a Navas cross. Three minutes later, Aguero hit the post moments before Bony sent a shot off the crossbar.
The match had felt like little more than an exhibition since the second goal, but West Brom nearly pulled a goal back with a big chance in the 73rd minute, only missing out because of the woodwork. The opportunity came about when Olsson headed on a corner to the back post, where Saido Berahino was unmarked. Replays showed a hint of offside, but it didn't matter, as Berahino headed off the crossbar from close range.
City netted their third goal in the 77th minute, effectively killing off any lingering hopes of a West Brom fightback. Following a corner, Clichy initiated the danger with a foray down the left, pulling back into the middle for Stevan Jovetic. The substitute hit a low shot that was heading off target, but Silva redirected the ball into the net past Myhill for 3-0.
Bony departed soon after, making way for Edin Dzeko in the 78th minute. Silva followed three minutes later as James Milner came on for a late cameo.
The match was trickling to its conclusion by this point, with the Etihad Stadium oddly quiet. Reflecting the pattern of the game, City dominated possession throughout the final moments, passing the ball across the pitch with complete control.
Grades
| Joe Hart | 6.6 |
| Pablo Zabaleta | 8.0 |
| Vincent Kompany | 6.8 |
| Eliaquim Mangala | 7.5 |
| Gael Clichy | 7.4 |
| Jesus Navas | 8.0 |
| Fernando | 8.9 |
| Frank Lampard | 7.6 |
| David Silva | 9.9 |
| Wilfried Bony | 9.3 |
| Sergio Aguero | 8.6 |
| Stevan Jovetic (for Lampard, 65') | 6.7 |
| Edin Dzeko (for Bony, 78') | 6.0 |
| James Milner (for Silva, 81') | 6.2 |
| Boaz Myhill | 8.5 |
| Craig Dawson | 6.7 |
| Gareth McAuley | 5.3 |
| Jonas Olsson | 5.6 |
| Joleon Lescott | 6.9 |
| Stephane Sessegnon | 5.7 |
| Darren Fletcher | 6.6 |
| Craig Gardner | 6.3 |
| Chris Baird | 6.2 |
| James Morrison | 6.7 |
| Saido Berahino | 6.3 |
| Victor Anichebe (for Berahino, 86') | No rating |
| Youssouf Mulumbu (for Sessegnon, 90') | No rating |
Reaction
Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany, via BBC Sport:
"I was too far to see the red card incident. It is the referee's decision. There was nothing for us but to win today, we just had to do a good job and we didn't fail. We need to focus on the next eight games.
Football is very simple at this level; you win games and you are the best team in the world.
"
West Brom manager Tony Pulis, via Match of the Day (h/t BBC Sport):
"It was always going to be difficult coming here today with two players suspended so to lose another player after just two minutes made it uphill all the way.
I speak to (referees' chief) Mike Riley fairly regularly, most weeks and he always rings back to chat about issues. It's not to complain about referees, it's to talk about how we can improve them.
The game should be talking about it as a whole as it's a wonderful product that we should be getting together to protect. We can't keep having people make decisions that affect games.
…
These decisions change games. In the modern world today refereeing is a tough job. I speak for a lot of managers in the professional game that the standard of refereeing hasn't been good enough this season.
If we can help them with a 30-second call-back option, say two times in a game, it would stop us talking about the referees and more about the game itself instead. If we can help them in shape or form we should.
"
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini, via BBC Sport:
"It was a comfortable win because we played with one player more for 89 minutes. Today we defended well and we concentrated well not to allow them to score.
Unfortunately for West Brom, the rule is clear. He was the last man but the game is different when you have to play with one less player. It was a clear red card.
Wilfied Bony is new in the squad and arrived after playing in the Africa Cup of Nations and he felt that. Every day, he is settling better and he is doing very well.
"
Follow @MiguelCominguez
