Samaras on double for City

Manchester City 2 Everton 1

Georgios Samaras put 17 games of goalscoring misery behind him to net the second-half double that allowed Manchester City to welcome the new year on a winning note at Eastlands.

Not since September 23 has City’s £6m (€8.9m) striker found the net.

But his half-time introduction for fellow mis-firing forward Bernardo Corradi inspired the Blues to a third successive league win for the first time since August 2005, consolidating their position in the top half of the Premiership table.

As the transfer window opens, Samaras’ efforts could not be any better timed, given the serious misgivings many City fans have over their woeful quartet of forwards.

Having seen his Greek forward finally come good, Blues boss Stuart Pearce might feel more confident about rejecting any big-money offer for youngster Micah Richards, should it eventually arrive.

Anyone still believing the Premiership to be the best league in the world would do well to get a tape of the opening period, which was not only virtually devoid of chances but any incident worthy of note.

Everton striker Andrew Johnson did his best with a shot that whistled wide inside the opening 30 seconds, but after that it was downhill all the way to Uriah Rennie’s half-time whistle.

Johnson could easily have been looking back on an Everton penalty, only for his unfortunate reputation for going to ground too easily again to count against him.

Just over a fortnight after Jose Mourinho implied Johnson had dived against Chelsea, the England forward hit the deck again, shoved in the back by Richard Dunne close to the goal-line as the pair chased a loose ball.

TV replays showed Dunne had made no contact with the ball but Rennie snubbed Everton’s spot-kick claims anyway.

The Yorkshire official also waved away City’s half-hearted appeals later in the half when sturdy Everton defender Joleon Lescott appeared to stop Bernardo Corradi’s shot with a hand.

Given Lescott was barely half a yard away from the goal-shy Italian striker at the time, the decision seemed fair enough.

In between, little happened of any note and certainly nothing to rival City’s robust pre-match denial of any bid from Chelsea, or anyone else, of £13m (€19.3m) for Richards, who is reportedly at the top of Jose Mourinho’s hit list as he looks solve the champions’ well-publicised defensive problems.

So threadbare is Stuart Pearce’s midfield just now that Richards has been pressed into emergency service at the heart of City’s engine room.

It is hardly the 18-year-old’s best position but, even against experienced opponents such as Lee Carsley and Mikel Arteta, Richards held his own.

The Blues’ long-suffering fans are understandably keen for Richards, and currently suspended midfielder Joey Barton, to stay at Eastlands, even though Pearce’s hopes of major transfer-window surgery probably depend on one of them leaving.

Yet most City supporters also accept the current striking situation is untenable.

Prior to today, the club’s four recognised front-men had scored in a sum total of three league games, contributing five goals, exactly the same number as Barton has managed on his own.

In his 45-minute appearance, Corradi did little to suggest he is suddenly about to hit form.

For Samaras, though, it was one of those days when it is entirely understandable why Pearce felt it necessary to make him the second-most-expensive player in the club’s history behind Nicolas Anelka.

His goal was certainly well-taken, the Greece international continuing his run after breaking forward and feeding Darius Vassell to his left before finishing at the near post when his strike partner delivered a low cross.

Samaras also inspired those around him, especially Vassell, who looked a changed man in the second half and whose pace caught out Tim Howard as the Everton keeper inexplicably chopped him inside the box when Joseph Yobo appeared to be running his opponent out of play.

His confidence levels raised, Samaras calmly slotted home his second from the spot.

It should have been game over but Leon Osman caused a few anxious moments when he turned home Phil Neville’s cut-back late on.

Nevertheless, City held on and, given the right results and a bit of inspired recruitment, maybe a European spot is not beyond them over the coming months.