.jpg)
Dzeko’s double midway through the second half relieved the pressure that had gripped the Etihad Stadium and late strikes by Stevan Jovetic and Yaya Toure, his 20th of the season, secured a comfortable victory.
City, who brought up 100 league goals for the campaign, realistically need just a point from Sunday’s home game against West Ham United to win their second league title in three years.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side moved two points clear of Liverpool at the top of the table but, with a superior goal difference of 13, a draw would be enough for City to be crowned champions while Chelsea’s title hopes are over.
At the other end of the standings, Sunderland guaranteed their Premier League survival when goals by Jack Colback and Fabio Borini sealed a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion which effectively ended Norwich City’s hopes of remaining in the top flight. With Sunderland moving to 38 points and West Brom one place above the relegation zone on 36, Norwich are three points further adrift with a vastly inferior goal difference.
Within seconds of the kickoff at the Etihad Stadium, it became apparent that Villa would look to stifle and frustrate rather than go toeto-toe with their talentpacked opponents.
With all 11 men consistently withdrawn behind the ball, the visitors set out to catch City on the break,but they rarely made it out of their own half as the title challengers launched wave after wave of attacks. City’s best chance of the first half fell to Toure, whose shot from close range was turned wide by the outstretched foot of Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan,and the first 45 minutes ended with Samir Nasri poking James Milner’s cross wide.
Dzeko rode to the rescue, however, in the 64th minute when he poked home Pablo Zabaleta’s cross from close range. City then cast off the shackles and Dzeko pounced to tuck away a rebound eight minutes before Jovetic powerfully side-footed past Guzan with a minute remaining.
The coup de grace arrived in stoppage-time when Toure turned on the afterburners to stride clear of the Villa backline and powerfully finish.
No comments:
Post a Comment