City slickers strike it rich for happy Pearce

Manchester City 3 Birmingham City 0

Pearce has ignited Eastlands since taking over and though the former England skipper could not claim the opening 45 minutes to be the best ever seen, their second half performance was a lot better.

The hosts did enjoy a large degree of good fortune when they took the lead, Robbie Fowler’s header bouncing back off a post before hitting Maik Taylor and rolling in.

After that though, City seized command. Late efforts from Richard Dunne and Antoine Sibierski were no more than they deserved and the chants of ‘Psycho, Psycho’ directed at the home dug-out left no room for wondering who the Blues fans want to lead their club next season.

In a flat opening period, Shaun Wright-Phillips, back in the starting line up after a six week absence blew by far the best chance of the half after just 45 seconds when he blasted over with the goal gaping.

Aside from a Darren Anderton free-kick which David James dropped after it flashed through the City wall, Birmingham’s only incisive attack ended with Emile Heskey lashing over.

Thankfully, the opening 15 minutes of the second half served up substantially more goalmouth action than the previous 45.

Even before the extreme slice of good fortune that saw the hosts go ahead, Birmingham were bemoaning their luck as Clinton Morrison’s expert finish from Jermaine Pennant’s cross was ruled out for offside.

Morrison and his manager were incensed by the decision but, while borderline, TV replays proved it to be right.

There was no doubt over the effort which broke the deadlock immediately afterwards, expect for who should be credited with it.

Fowler will probably claim it but, the fact that his header from Musampa’s cross was heading back out of the goal as it struck Taylor and rolled in will be enough for the record books to confirm it should be an own goal.

Pennant came close to levelling when his curling free-kick beat James but flicked off the bar before Heskey missed a sitter from 10 yards.

Richard Dunne buried a header unchallenged to put City two up before Morrison handled Wright-Phillips’ corner, providing Sibierski with the opportunity to stroke home the spot-kick.

MAN CITY: James, Onuoha, Dunne, Distin, Jordan, Shaun Wright-Phillips (Croft 90), Barton, Reyna, Musampa, Fowler (Bradley Wright-Phillips 81), Sibierski.

BIRMINGHAM: Maik Taylor, Melchiot, Cunningham, Upson, Clapham (Lazaridis 41), Pennant, Carter, Anderton (Pandiani 76), Clemence (Blake 66), Heskey, Morrison.

Referee: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).