Man City win rescues Pearce

Middlesbrough 0 Manchester City 2

Sylvain Distin and Emile Mpenza came to Stuart Pearce’s rescue as Manchester City ended a run of five Barclays Premiership defeats with a 2-1 victory at Middlesbrough.

The French defender fired the visitors in front with just their second goal in seven league games after 61 minutes and his Belgian team-mate made it 2-0 17 minutes from time with his first for the club.

It was the least City deserved as a Boro side with one eye on Monday evening’s FA Cup quarter-final replay at Manchester United were woefully off the pace for long periods.