On this evidence, it was easy to see why Roberto Mancini seems all of a sudden willing to see Carlos Tevez back in a Manchester City shirt.
Having spurned a glut of opportunities at Villa Park, it took defender Joleon Lescott’s intervention midway through the second half to separate City and an Aston Villa side now in the midst of their worst ever home run in the Premier League.
For all their intricate interplay, forwards David Silva, Adam Johnson and Sergio Aguero all wasted chances as City lacked the ruthless killer instinct you would expect of Premier League champions.
Eventually, Lescott got them out of jail, but it is sure to be a concern for Mancini.
And, with the possibility growing of Tevez being back in Manchester as early as tomorrow, City’s striking concerns would appear to explain why he has opted to go back on his word that Tevez would never play for the club again after refusing to come off the bench in the 2-0 defeat at Bayern Munich last September.
At least the Italian could depart home safe in the knowledge his team had restored their two-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
Villa, meanwhile, are now seven league matches without a win at home and Alex McLeish’s side remain in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle.
Vincent Kompany returned from a knee injury to skipper City, who also handed a recall to ex-Villa midfielder James Milner.
Alex McLeish, the subject of protests from around 100 Villa fans calling for him to be sacked before kick-off, made four changes with Charles N’Zogbia and Stephen Ireland, who were both caught up in controversy during and after last weekend’s defeat to Newcastle, among those who made way.
Having hit the goal trail again against Fulham last weekend, Aguero took just three minutes to be presented with his first chance, the striker chested Silva’s cushioned headed only to fire at Shay Given.
The early evidence suggested set-pieces represented Villa’s best chance of scoring and their only real chance of the half came in the 18th minute when a Richard Dunne header from Stiliyan Petrov’s delivery was plucked out of the air by Joe Hart.
Within seconds City had broken down the opposite end yet, having outfoxed Gary Gardner, Silva’s tame attempt was easily saved by Ireland number one Given.
City were in total control and Villa were lucky to escape in the 27th minute when Petrov backed off Adam Johnson and the City winger’s fiercely-struck shot cannoned off the foot of the right post.
All that Mancini’s side’s football lacked was a killer final touch with Aguero twice spurning further opportunities.
City continued to have the better of the possession and the chances after half-time but once again were thwarted by a combination of Villa’s resolute defending and their own wasteful finishing.
Kompany connected cleanly with a James Milner corner but saw his goalbound attempt headed clear by Alan Hutton, then Given got his body behind a stinging Pablo Zabaleta drive after the play had been moved from left to right.
However, Villa’s resistance was finally broken in the 63rd minute when two former Villa players combined to set up Lescott. Milner’s corner to the back post was nodded back across goal by Gareth Barry and the defender was on hand to hook home from close range.
Despite continuing to dominate, City failed to double their advantage and they almost paid dearly.
With two minutes remaining Carlos Cuellar rose unmarked to meet Petrov’s corner only to head over, then Darren Bent’s acrobatic attempt forced a fine reflex save from Joe Hart, whose aerial challenge with Dunne in injury time then forced the defender off.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, February 13, 2012
