West Brom 0 - 3 City: Match Report

In a weekend that saw City's main rivals drop points at home to weaker opposition, the Blues took advantage of Chelsea's and Arsenal's slip-ups to ease past West Brom at the Hawthorns.

Goals from Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany secured the win for Manuel Pellegrini's men, who climbed to the top of the pile ahead of Sunday's crucial encounter against Chelsea - a game that could potentially see the Blues stretch five points clear of Jose Mourinho's men.

From a City perspective, there was an air of uncertainty going into this game because of the media's pessimism of our chances this year coupled with some poor results during pre-season.

But there was no need to worry. Despite star striker Sergio Aguero only being deemed fit enough for the bench, City showed a sense of urgency that was rarely seen last year and the addition of Raheem Sterling has only helped to improve that.

But despite a solid debut, Sterling wasn't even the standout player in a superb team performance - that accolade will have gone to David Silva, who further solidified his claim as one of the Premier League's best ever players.

City were helped by Tony Pulis' naivety in his team selection as the Welshman decided to pick two strikers from the start and City took advantage of this quickly. Dominant on the ball, City forced the Baggies into their own half from the start and they barely got a sniff of the ball before Toure managed to grab City's first of the season according to Opta.

With some neat build up play on the edge of the area, Jesus Navas managed to find the Ivorian in that deadly position on the edge of the box and his effort found it's way towards the net via deflections from Silva and Baggies' defender Craig Dawson. One for the dubious goals panel perhaps, with many divided over who the goal should have gone to.

It was a fortunate way to take the lead but as they say, you earn your luck and Toure's second goal was anything but fortunate. Some incisive passing from the ever energetic Fernandinho found Yaya free in the middle of the park, and sensing a quick one-two with Wilfried Bony, the Ivorian was able to wriggle free from the Baggies defence before smashing the ball past Boaz Myhill on the edge of the box.

You already got a sense that this was a City team that are hungry to take back their title, and new boy Sterling could have made it the dream debut when Fernandinho put him through on goal just before half-time, but his tame effort was palmed away by Myhill.

The only way West Brom would have got back into this contest was through complacency by Pellegrini's team but this never seemed to have crept into the back of the minds of the players, whose concentration levels never faltered.

Pulis, clearly wary of Silva's danger, was forced to bring on Claudio Yacob at half-time to man mark the Spaniard but it was testament to his ability that Yacob was forced into making cyncical fouls in an attempt to stop him.

The Baggies did attempt to come back into the game and had Rickie Lambert's freekick gone in, perhaps things would have turned out differently but Pulis' hopes were dashed on the hour mark when City stretched their lead thanks to Kompany.

After some sublime skill to win the team a corner, Silva delivered a beautiful ball into the box and it was met by a leap from Kompany, whose header looped over Myhill into the opposite corner. From a ridiculous angle, it was a great goal and you could see what it meant to our captain from his celebrations.

With the game won, Pellegrini took the opportunity to introduce Aguero into the action, and despite a couple of half chances, the Argentine will have been happy with the run out with Chelsea approaching on Sunday.

*Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images Europe*

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