Manchester City vs. Stoke: review.



Tevez runs away in triumph after his first
goal of the evening.

Manchester City 3-0 Stoke.

After the triumphs at Wembley in the FA Cup Final, it was back home and back down to Earth for Manchester City. Aston Villa's suprising victory over Arsenal on Sunday afternoon meant that a win for Manchester City against Stoke would see them rise above Arsenal into third place - meaning that a win on the final day against Bolton will take City straight into the group stages of the Champions League, without the hurdle of a qualifier.

City went into the game stressing over the fitness of David Silva and Mario Balotelli, and over the future of Carlos Tevez. But two of the three - David Silva and Carlos Tevez - started the game. The City of Manchester Stadium was full to the rafters, bar the Stoke fans, who only had 800 fans cheering them on. Understandably, due to Saturday's events.

A contender for Goal of the month.

Manchester City, brimming with confidence, opened the scoring. Silva's ball to James Milner was miscontrolled, but it bounced to Tevez, who managed to work a tight one-two with Milner, dance inside one defender, drop the shoulder away from the other and fire up and across Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen. A contender for Goal of the Month, you say? I can't disgaree.

City laid off the pressure a tad, but created chances through Yaya Toure's long drive, and Carlos Tevez's curling effort from the outside of his foot. Stoke had barely had a look in, despite managing to temporarily slow the City tide.

Carlos Tevez stepped up to take it...

The second half began, and a burst from Micah Richards drew Danny Collins over to make the sliding tackle. Richards tried to jump over the defender's leg, but was unsuccessful. A free-kick was given. Johnson's long ball seemed to have evaded everyone until Joleon Lescott arrived in front of Sorensen to make it 2-0. A brave header that rustled the back of the net sent the City fans wild, and put City's third place dreams in to the reality box.

Edin Dzeko arrived at the scene, replacing the creative Silva - a change that more or less confirms Silva's starting place on Sunday on the final day against Bolton - who didn't look the best pleased to be taken off after another good performance, despite not being at his best. Dzeko's biggest chance came when he managed to wrestle through a Stoke defender and fire his shot straight at the on-rushing Sorensen.

Nigel de Jong took a tumble around 35 yards out, and a free-kick was given. Carlos Tevez stepped up to take it. He fired the shot wide of the wall, and some how managed to bend it back in and reach the top corner. 3-0. Imagine a shooting star, and you'll be somewhere close to the path that Tevez's shot took on its way to the goal. Sorensen was beaten and City were heading towards three points.

Dzeko's shot hit the side-netting, Pablo Zabaleta left the field in a pool of blood after another clash left him needing 11 stitches, but he should be fit for the all important clash in just a few days time.

Hart 6; Richards 8, Kompany 7, Lescott 8, Zabaleta 7; Milner 7, de Jong 7; Toure 8; Silva 7, Tevez 9; Johnson 6.                         - Dzeko 7, Wright-Phillips 7; Boyata 6.