Anelka can be world’s best

Manchester City 4 Aston Villa 1

Just days after Anelka spoke of his happiness and contentment at City after a career littered with enough fall-outs to see the Frenchman dubbed ‘The Incredible Sulk’, Keegan’s record £13.5million signing fired home the first three-timer of his Blues career.

It not only sent City soaring above Chelsea into third spot but also saw him leapfrog Teddy Sheringham, Michael Owen and Thierry Henry at the top of the Barclaycard Premiership scoring charts.

“People forget Nicolas is only 24,” said Keegan. “I was 27 before I learned what the game was all about.

“If he can continue to develop at the same rate over the next three years, by the time he reaches his peak he can go on to become the best striker in the world.

Anelka’s efforts took the headlines away from Steve McManaman’s return to English football after a four-year stint with Real Madrid and, more importantly, overturn the half-time lead given to Villa by Juan Pablo Angel’s controversial opener.

The Colombian frontman appeared to be offside when he rose to nod home Lee Hendrie’s cross, but any home resentment at referee Mark Halsey was wiped away after the interval when he awarded City two penalties, both of which Anelka confidently converted.

Then, after he had already wasted two chances to complete his treble, the former Arsenal and Real Madrid star swept onto Michael Tarnat’s pass to clinch City’s first league win at their new Eastlands home.

The omens had not looked good for the Blues, who had garnered just a point from two previous outings at their plush new home, when Villa led at the interval through Juan Pablo Angel’s controversial header.

But with their spirits raised by Keegan’s half-time team talk, City turned the game on its head within five minutes of the re-start as Anelka rasped home his first penalty and Tarnat blasted home a free-kick Thomas Sorensen will wonder why he did not save.

In fact, for all City’s pressure, the most dangerous front-man on show during the opening period was Villa’s returning Swede Marcus Allback.

Twice in the opening three minutes Allback found himself with a clear run on goal. On the first occasion, he was nudged off the ball by Sun Jihai, on the second David Seaman made a fine feet-first save.

The City defence appeared to get to grips with him after that, only for Allback to find space again as he took Thomas Hitzlsperger’s raking long pass, then feed Hendrie to set up Villa’s opener.

McManaman should have pulled the home side level immediately but over-ran Anelka’s return pass which Sorensen inexplicably dived over.

Had Sinclair not got back to deny Allback his third shooting opportunity in stoppage-time, Keegan’s half-time team talk would have had the new paint peeling off the walls of the City of Manchester Stadium’s dressing room.

Instead, it offered the former England manager a chance to use his inspirational skills. The effect was devastating as City blitzed their opponents, who were overwhelmed by Anelka and Wanchope in particular.

McManaman produced some forceful runs and will be pleased with his debut, while Keegan also took the opportunity to give fellow new-boy Claudio Reyna a late run.

Man City: Seaman, Jihai, Sommeil, Distin, Tarnat, Wright-Phillips, Barton (Sibierski 73), McManaman, Sinclair, Anelka, Wanchope (Reyna 82).

Aston Villa: Sorensen, Delaney, Mellberg (Alpay 37), Johnsen (Hadji 66), Samuel, Hendrie, McCann, Hitzlsperger, Whittingham, Angel (Dublin 76), Allback.

Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire).