Skoorb
Alert Team
After the gloom that descended upon Planet Blue following the woeful home defeat in the derby two weeks ago City returned to Premier League action with a bang. Where the hell have this team been? On a gloriously sunny spring afternoon on the south coast City secured all three points to keep their noses ahead in the race for Champions League football virtually within the first twenty minutes. Playing with a verve and purpose rarely seen in recent weeks this game was also notable for the successful return to the footballing fray of Kevin De Bruyne and Samir Nasri. Goals from Fernando, De Bruyne and Aguero provided the perfect platform for Pellegrini to give De Bruyne, Silva and Aguero a rest and Nasri some game time before the crucial Champions League quarter final in Paris this coming Wednesday. The icing on the cake was a goal from Kolarov in added time when he took advantage of a Bournemouth defence that was mentally already taking off their boots in the dressing room. Stepping inside some limp challenges he drove into the penalty area and thumped the ball beyond Boruc to enhance City's goal difference. Who knows how crucial that might be. With West Ham held by Palace, City have gained a modicum breathing space for twenty four hours - we can only hope that Everton try as hard against a team from outside Manchester tomorrow as they did when they played the one from inside the City boundary. The measure of what has been missing from City's play in recent weeks was no better illustrated than in De Bruyne's goal - a sumptuous chip into the box from Aguero was helped on over his shoulder by David Silva straight into the path of the on running De Bruyne who caressed the ball into the net on the volley. Sublime. How we have missed that flair and energy. The City fans who made the long trip to the south coast will return with smiles on their faces but simultaneously wondering what might have been this season. But that is for another day. This win in both it's nature and margin will act as a tonic for the squad as they pack their bags for the short trip to Paris and the club's first ever appearance in European football's top competition. No easy task but better to travel with a solid victory under your belt than the depressing ennui that enveloped everyone after the derby. Yes it is football cliche time - one game at a time boys, one game at a time.
