City facing ‘crucial’ week

A fairly routine victory hardly qualified as the highlight of Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City reign but at the start of a month the manager describes as "crucial" and ahead of a pivotal Champions League tie tomorrow, it was sorely needed.

For forward Samir Nasri, in particular, the game was especially important representing, he explained later, the first time this season that he has played at full fitness.

The result was there to see. With Sergio Aguero uncharacteristically subdued, and increasingly frustrated by the attention of Swansea defenders, it was left to Nasri and match winner Yaya Toure to pick up the creative and goalscoring slack vacated by the Argentinian.