Two goals on either side of the break ensured Manchester City storm to the top of the table by a 2-0 margin against Newcastle United here at Tyneside. Edin Dzeko opened the scoring early in the first half to put the Blues from Manchester ahead in a chilly St. James Park before Cheick Tiote’s brilliant strike from outside the penalty box was incorrectly ruled out for offside. It looked legitimate as the midfielder rocketed in a strike from 25-yards after City failed to clear a corner.
Unfortunately for the home side, the linesman thought otherwise, albeit his interpretation of two home side’s players standing in offside positions. Alvaro Negredo then added a second at the fag end of the encounter after getting lucky from the rebound off his goal bound effort saved by Tim Krul.
Here are Soccersouls’ player ratings for Manchester City
Joe Hart: Made two good saves which would have done his confidence a world of good. He was saved by the linesman from Cheick Tiote’s screamer which should easily have been the equaliser. A clean sheet, though for Hart and perhaps was deserving of the way City protected their lead.
Rating: 2.5/5
Pablo Zabaleta: The Argentine did look outpaced by Gouffran on the right but once again he put in a determined performance going forward and also tracking back through the entire course of ninety minutes.
Rating: 2.5/5
Vincent Kompany: The Belgian man-mountain was a great influence at the back and made a number of important clearances throughout the encounter. Was a vital cog in City’s wheel to earn an away clean sheet, something so elusive in the Premier League.
Rating: 3/5
Martin Demichelis: Also was a dominating presence at the back but needs to improve his game to suit to the Premier League and its excruciating schedule.
Rating: 2.5/5
Aleksander Kolarov: My man of the match definitely. The left-back assisted for Dzeko’s opener and was wonderful throughout the game. His tackle in the dying minutes helped City to hold on for their slender lead before Negredo wrapped the game up late on.
Rating: 4/5
Yaya Toure: Once again, the engine of City’s enviable midfield in the middle of the park, the Ivorian’s physical presence is growing herculean with each passing week. However, he had to leave the pitch as he went down holding lower back.
Rating: 2.5/5
Fernandinho: A quite game given the Brazilian’s standards and was desperately unlucky not to get himself on the score sheet following a looping header late into the match.
Rating: 2.5/5
David Silva: Like Fernandinho too, was unlucky not to score and yet again showed why he is such an integral part of the Citizens’ approach towards any clash moving into pockets and making himself available throughout the entire ninety minutes. Also provided the through ball to Kolarov for the latter to lay in for Dzeko’s opener.
Rating: 3/5
Samir Nasri: Not a great game given the Frenchman’s standards. Nasri was then knocked down down by a horror Yanga-Mbiwa tackle and was stretchered off.
Rating: 2/5
Edin Dzeko: Provided almost nothing after his master opener as the Bosnian showed how he is one of the most sought after ‘fox in the box’ striker in the world.
Rating: 3/5
Alvaro Negredo: Was a constant nuisance for the Newcastle defence. Was lucky to get the gaol after Krul’s save from his goal bound effort deflected off into his path, to poke the ball into an open net.
Rating: 3/5