City scrape past Wigan despite unconvincing performance
By Aaron Leggott
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| Game winner Carlos Tevez in action against Wigan Photo: Official MCFC Facebook |
A superb solo goal from Carlos Tevez ensured City grabbed their eighth win in nine and continued their impressive run against Wigan in recent years.
The Blues have now won seven games in a row without conceding, but this performance was probably the most unconvincing yet and the visitors will be wondering how they left the Etihad empty handed.
The win kept alive City's extremely slim title hopes as rivals Manchester United were only able to draw at West Ham - but even with six more wins, United can still wrap up the title at the Emirates next weekend.
Perhaps City were suffering from a Wembley hangover but the same could not be said about Wigan, who were superb throughout the game. Their domination of the ball often left City's midfield in pieces and had they taken their chances we could have been looking at a totally different score line.
The Latics will need to put in similar performances from now to the end of the season if they are to avoid relegation and stay in the Premier League for a ninth consecutive season - an incredible feat for a small club.
The first chance of the game came from Wigan playmaker Shaun Maloney as he flicked an Arouna Kone's pass into the path of Franco di Santo. The Argentinian did brilliantly to dummy the ball past both Joleon Lescott and Gareth Barry before being denied by a great save by Joe Hart.
City were fortunate to not be behind, and it took a stretching leg from Vincent Kompany to stop di Santo's low cross finding Kone unmarked just moments later.
Latics goalkeeper Joel Robles was finally forced into action just before half time as he pushed away Aleksandar Kolarov's swerving effort - but City needed to up their game in the second period.
Edin Dzeko replaced Sergio Aguero who was taken off as a precaution but City's lack of tempo and energy saw more of the same in the second period.
Lescott was forced into clearing the ball off the line after Maloney beat Hart with a curling effort before Kompany was once again called into action to block Kone's close range effort.
The eventual winner came from a piece individual brilliance and broke Wigan's hearts with just ten minutes to play as Tevez wriggled past the challenges of Wigan defenders before firing a shot past Robles to relieve the agitated home crowd.
Wigan never really got going after conceding and were grudgingly forced to accept a defeat at the home of the Champions as they stayed three points away from safety.
An abject performance from the hosts whose main focus seems solely on FA Cup success in May.
Below is a video of Carlos Tevez's winner in the 84th minute:
Below is a video of Carlos Tevez's winner in the 84th minute:
Stats
City Wigan
53% Possession 47%
10 (4) Shots (on target) 8 (6)
5 Corners 4
12 Fouls 5
Yes, a scruffy and lucky victory, but it was excellent play by Tevez that won the game for City.
ReplyDeleteBy all accounts Maloney was outstanding for Wigan last night, certainly one to keep an eye on in the Final.
Hope Wigan pull out of their league problems, they're certainly a better team to watch than the likes of Stoke.