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Wigan Athletic 0 – 2 Manchester City

Roberto Martinez stated in his programme notes that he wanted his side “to affect areas of the game to get a positive result”, but his side were architects of their own downfall by gifting City a goal in either half.

Roberto Mancini made 2 changes to the side that defeated Salzburg on Thursday evening by recalling Micah Richards and James Milner to the starting eleven in replace of Wayne Bridge and Jo. The Blues had never won a Premiership game at the DW Stadium and after failing to defeat Sunderland and Blackburn were determined to finally end their woeful run of results at this ground.

With the rain falling at an ever increasing rate, many players struggled to stay on their feet in the opening exchanges and Carlos Tevez created his own opening, only to drive his shot wide of the Wigan goal. Many of the 5,000 travelling City faithful were frustrated with their side early in the first half as the players were misplacing passes and struggling to breakdown the Latics defence. With chances at a premium and both sides looking like they were content with going into the half time break all square, City broke the deadlock. Joe Hart’s hopeful punt up field was completely misjudged by the Wigan defence and Tevez latched onto the ball. Ali Al Habsi, the only Omanian player to feature in the Premiership so far, rushed out of his goal to try and stop Tevez, only for the Argentine striker to chip the ball over the goalkeeper and send the thousands of City fans into raptures.

Gareth Barry had looked very composed in the central of midfield alongside Nigel De Jong and Yaya Toure. Vincent Kompany also met his current high standards by proving to be as solid as ever against the hard working, Franco Di Santo.

Wigan started the 2ndhalf brightly, but coming up against a City defence that has only conceded 2 goals so far this season, were restricted to fruitless long range efforts. City were working the ball around well all over the soaked DW pitch, but when they unlocked the Wigan defence they were denied by the linesman’s suspicious looking flag.  Another mistake by the Wigan defence nearly put the game beyond Wigan’s reach as Ivory Coast international, Steve Gohouri’s short pass invited the terrific Tevez to fire straight at Al Habsi from 12 yards out.   Carlos Tevez was yet again on hand to pounce on the shaky home defence’s mistakes when twice, Wigan failed to clear the ball leaving Tevez to hook the ball across the six yard box for Yaya Toure to grab his first City goal and celebrated in style with the City fans.

Wigan tried to please the disappointed home support by grabbing a consolation goal, but the closest they came was a Diame header from the six yard box that bounced just wide of Joe Harts goal. Substitute, Adam Johnson nearly grabbed City’s third when his deflected cross was pushed onto the bar by the goalkeeper.

Roberto Mancini was delighted that his side had got back to winning ways in the league, he told Sky Sports News, “The first goal was very important for us. The goal changed the match.”Against Sunderland and Blackburn we had chances to score goals, so when Tevez scored, it obviously changed the game.”We never took any risks and never gave away any chances at the back, which I was very pleased about.

Martinez was disappointed with his sides defending in the game, as he told Sky Sports News, “We created Manchester City’s best chances and that is very disappointing. In any performance the hardest thing should be to concede a goal.”At the moment from time to time we come out with this softness in our defensive play, which really lets ourselves down and puts games out of our reach.

Man Of The Match – Carlos Tevez – This decision was a close call between our favourite, Carlos Tevez and tireless defensive midfielder, Nigel De Jong. But with Tevez grabbing his first goal after the disastrous miss during the defeat to Sunderland and an assist for Toure’s goal.  Tevez troubled the woeful Wigan defence all afternoon and deserved the standing ovation he received from the travelling support when he was substituted.

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