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| Yaya Toure, the hero |
Ivory Coast star Yaya
Toure proved his worth again today, scoring two goals to inspire Manchester
City to a priceless 2-0 win over Newcastle.
The African Footballer
of the Year scored two second-half goals, the first a wonder goal, to bring City
just one win away from claiming the English Premiership title.
In what was expected to
be a potential banana skin for Roberto Mancini’s side, City were the better
team throughout and in the end comfortably cosigned Newcastle to only their
third home defeat of the season, and their first since December.
Newcastle though, buoyed
by confidence from a super season, charged at City from the first whistle, but
like all good sides in a high pressure situation, the visitors sat back and
soaked it up before starting to impose themselves on the game.
Having pushed Newcastle
back, David Silva was given the first clear chance, but his low shot was well saved
by Tim Krul. Moments later Samir Nasri failed to control Carlos Tevez’s pass,
when a gentle first touch would have given him a dangerous shooting position.
A rash moment from
Krul, when he came charging out his area, almost allowed Nasri to make amends,
but his tame shot from a tight angle was cleared by covering defenders.
The Newcastle
goalkeeper was in more characteristic form when he came off his line boldly to
gather the ball at the feet of Silva. Krul also did well to gather an awkward
bouncing free kick from Tevez.
City looked dangerous,
but Newcastle, as they have all season, found another dimension to their own
offensive play and gradually gave their title-chasing opponents something to
think about.
Demba Ba’s shot on the
turn went narrowly over and the Senegal striker saw another blocked by Gael
Clichy, the ball looping up for Hatem Ben Arfa to volley – Joe Hart doing well
to keep it out at his near post.
Had Ba, as he would
have during his prolific first half of the season, hit his shot first time,
Hart may have had no chance.
Still City looked
dangerous, Gareth Barry seeing two goalbound shots blocked, first by Fabricio
Coloccini and then by Davide Santon.
Their goal, though,
came midway through the second-half, Silva combining with Yaya Toure to allow
the former Barcelona midfielder to look up and pick his spot with a low curling
shot which nestled in the bottom corner.
City’s celebrations
were long and exuberant – like they had just scored the goal that would go on
to win them the league.
Sergio Aguero should
have a bit later. With 15 minutes remaining, Silva picked out the Argentinean’s
run with a brilliant chipped pass, but he rolled the ball past Krul and the
wrong side of the post.
Nerves jangled in the
away end, in Manchester and in Abu Dhabi. Toure could have settled them,
heading a free-kick over before, farcically, falling over his own feet when
one-on-one with Krul
He did not waste a
third, City breaking brilliantly after substitute Micah Richards had thrown
himself in the way of Shola Ameobi’s volley, before Clichy found Toure and he
found the back of the net from close range.
City now know that a
win against QPR in their final game would secure the English Premiership title,
barring a miracle.
Source: Telegraph
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