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A farcical game from start to finish for West Brom ended with a predictable 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
The signs were ominous from the second minute when Gareth McAuley was sent off for denying Wilfried Bony a clear run on goal. The red card was fair, but its target wasn't – Craig Dawson had been the offender, making it the third mistaken identity sending off in two seasons (after Kieran Gibbs and Wes Brown for Arsenal and Sunderland respectively).
But the most surprising thing about this game was that City only won 3-0, after firing a whopping 43 shots at Boaz Myhill's goal, nine of them courtesy of Sergio Aguero, who came away unusually goalless.
It was Bony who hooked in his first Citizens goal after 27 minutes, before Fernando doubled the hosts' advantage after capitalising on Jonas Olsson's blunder from a corner.
Manuel Pellegrini's men took time to grab a third, with Myhill denying Aguero on several occasions, and Saido Berahino fluffing the Baggies' only effort of note at the other end (in the 72nd minute) with a close-range header onto the bar. But with 15 minutes to go they put the game beyond doubt when master craftsman David Silva turned in Stevan Jovetic's wayward strike.
- Manchester City had 26 shots (including blocked) in the first half; the most Opta have recorded for a team before the break (going back to 2003/04).
- City had 43 shots in this game (including blocked). The only team to have more in a Premier League game since 2003/04 were City themselves vs QPR on the final day of 2011/12. However, the Citizens only had 1 shot in the final 13 minutes (plus stoppage-time) that followed Silva’s goal.
- City’s 16 shots on target equalled the Premier League record for a team since 2003/04 (also Man United vs Newcastle in January 2008 and Arsenal vs Blackburn in October 2009).
- Boaz Myhill made 13 saves in this game; only two goalkeepers have made more in a Premier League game since 2003/04 (when Opta have this data).
Spain international Silva was a busy man of the match, with 10 efforts on goal, 11 chances created for his team-mates (all from open play) and 81 of his 92 passes in the attacking third completed.
- Silva, who has scored 4 in his last 5 Premier League appearances, has 11 goals this season; the same as he managed in the 2012/13 and 2013/14 campaigns combined.
- This was Manuel Pellegrini’s 100th game in charge of Manchester City in all competitions. He collected his 63rd win (D15 L22).
- Gareth McAuley’s red card (shown on 1:29) was the fastest in the Premier League this season. It was the second fastest in the top four tiers this term, after Watford’s Gabriele Angella vs Bournemouth (0:48).
- Wilfried Bony scored against West Brom for the first time in the English top flight; he has now scored against 16 of the 22 Premier League sides he has faced.
- Fernando’s goal (Man City’s second) was the Citizens’ 1000th Premier League strike; they became the 9th team to reach the milestone.
- It was Fernando’s second Premier League goal; both have come against West Brom.
- Joe Hart kept his 100th Premier League clean sheet.
Fan's eye view
"This was just the type of game City, and Manuel Pellegrini, needed. After the sending off there was no danger of losing, and with West Brom sitting back it was purely a matter of patience. Wilfried Bony's first goal should settle him down, David Silva pulled the strings as ever, and Vincent Kompany had no trouble in defence. The perfect antidote to a problematic week."
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