Premier League
December 26, 2009
Manchester City
2 - 0
Stoke City
Premier League
15:00 GMT, December 26, 2009
City of Manchester Stadium, England
Referee: Lee Mason
Tevez gets Mancini off to a flier
Scoring Summary
| Manchester City | Stoke City |
|---|---|
| Martin Petrov (28') | |
| Carlos Tévez (45') |
Teams
| Manchester City | Stoke City |
|---|---|
| 1 Shay Given | 29 Thomas Sorensen |
| 33 Vincent Kompany | 3 Danny Higginbotham |
| 28 Kolo Touré | 25 Abdoulaye Faye |
| 16 Sylvinho | 22 Danny Collins |
| 5 Pablo Zabaleta | 28 Andy Wilkinson |
| 18 Gareth Barry | 6 Glenn Whelan |
| 34 Nigel De Jong | 15 Salif Diao |
| 32 Carlos Tévez | 26 Matthew Etherington |
| 7 Stephen Ireland | 18 Dean Whitehead |
| 17 Martin Petrov | 20 Tuncay Sanli |
| 10 Robinho | 11 Mamady Sidibe |
| Substitutes | |
| 12 Stuart Taylor | Ricardo Fuller 10 |
| 39 Craig Bellamy | Liam Lawrence 7 |
| 15 Javier Garrido | Steve Simonsen 1 |
| 2 Micah Richards | Rory Delap 24 |
| 40 Vladimir Weiss | James Beattie 9 |
| 36 Javan Vidal | Robert Huth 4 |
| 44 Dedryck Boyata | Danny Pugh 14 |
| Substitutions | |
| Micah Richards for Sylvinho (66) | Robert Huth for Andy Wilkinson (48) |
| Craig Bellamy for Robinho (70) | James Beattie for Mamady Sidibe (53) |
| Javier Garrido for Carlos Tévez (90) | Ricardo Fuller for Tuncay Sanli (59) |
| Yellow Cards | |
| Salif Diao (36) | |
| Glenn Whelan (80) | |
| · Squads: Manchester City | Stoke City | |
Roberto Mancini made a winning start to life as Manchester City manager as the Blues put a turbulent few days behind them by beating Stoke City.
• Mancini: No problem with Bellamy
Martin Petrov and Carlos Tevez supplied the first-half goals that marked Mancini's coronation.
Yet the Italian would also have been aware it took two brilliant Shay Given saves, the first to deny Tuncay when the sides were still deadlocked, and another to turn away a ferocious James Beattie effort when the visitors were enjoying their best spell, for City to consolidate their place in the top six - and edge to within three points of third.
Even for a club as well versed in shooting themselves in the foot as City, it has been a pretty torrid week, seven days on from Mark Hughes` dismissal.
Mancini has already been asked to do the same for City as he did at Inter Milan, top spot the expectation next term after a fourth-placed finish this.
In this most bizarre of seasons, higher than fourth is not beyond the realms of possibility, especially if Mancini can mould a team out of the collection of impressive individuals Hughes gathered together.
Robinho for instance has been a big disappointment, while Petrov has hardly been used.
Yet it was that pair who combined to put City in front just before the half hour.
In fairness, Robinho's contribution was wholly accidental as he scuffed his shot terribly after being set up by Tevez.
The ball ran on to Petrov, who fired past a despairing Thomas Sorensen at the far post.
As the Bulgarian had started on the left of a four-man midfield and had just been switched to the right, it could be claimed as a tactical masterstroke, even if a terrible finish from a similar position moments later suggested the Bulgarian cannot entirely be trusted on that side of the field.
Tevez was the star man for City and it was appropriate he should snaffle the second in first-half stoppage time when Gareth Barry cushioned a header into his path, allowing the Argentine to lift the ball delicately over Sorensen.
Yet, as he reflected on such an advantageous position, Mancini would have been aware City were indebted to a brilliant feet-first save from Given to deny Tuncay when the scores were still level.
Tony Pulis was so unimpressed by his side's efforts that he made all three substitutions in a 10-minute spell right after the re-start.
Those introduced included James Beattie, who seems certain to leave next month but did at least create a half chance for Matthew Etherington with his extra aerial ability.
Beattie's altercation with Pulis looks like being costly for Stoke because he brings a greater focus to their attack.
It was evident when he controlled Abdoulaye Faye's wayward header at the far post before letting fly with a ferocious volley that Given kept out with a brilliant one-handed save.
Goalkeeper is clearly one area Mancini will not have to analyse over the coming days as he ponders who he needs to keep, who can be discarded and what replacements are needed.
The issue of Robinho is not quite so straightforward.
His axing for Hughes' final supper was a clear indication of what the last City boss felt about a player the club spent £32.5million to buy.
And he did little of note for Mancini, who could not have failed to notice the enthusiasm with which home supporters greeted his exit and the arrival of Craig Bellamy.
The Welshman should have had a penalty too when he was barged over by Robert Huth but inexplicably, referee Lee Mason did not give it.