Manchester City turned on the style against Preston to re-establish their
three-point lead at the top of the First Division.
The Blues' slip-up at Wimbledon last week allied to second-placed Wolves' win
at Crystal Palace in the week had seen City's lead at the summit cut to mere
goal difference.
But after a shaky opening when the visitors should have made them pay, Kevin
Keegan's men showed just why the bookmakers have them odds-on favourites for a
quick return to the Premiership as they swept North End aside in a pulsating
second half.
Jon Macken stunned a packed Maine Road by scoring 90 seconds into the second
period, but once City levelled 90 seconds later themselves through Shaun
Wright-Phillips there was only going to be one winner.
And it was left to City's two returning stars, Steve Howey and Paulo Wanchope,
to grab the goals.
Substitute Iain Anderson set up a nervy finale for the Kippax after an
injury-time strike for the Lilywhites, but a point would have been undeserved
for David Moyes' side on the balance of play and the scoreline flattered them.
In an explosive start to the game Preston should have led as early as the
third minute. Lee Cartwright's flick header put Richard Cresswell clean through
but City keeper Nicky Weaver parried the striker's weak eight-yard effort.
City, with centre-half Howey back in the side after a four-match absence
following a foot injury, were living very dangerously as they struggled to
settle into the game.
With Wanchope also looking rusty initially after a three-match absence on
international duty with Costa Rica, it was the visitors who enjoyed much the
best of the opening half hour with former City man Dickson Etuhu enjoying a fine
return to Maine Road after his recent £300,000 move.
It took Wanchope half an hour to rediscover the form that has seen him bag six
goals in his last five starts for the First Division leaders but it was well
worth the wait.
He left both Preston skipper Sean Gregan and Chris Lucketti for dead with a
wonderful drag back and his low, right-foot effort was goalbound until Moilanen
saved well at full stretch.
After a shaky opening it was the home side who ended the half much the
stronger and pressing hard to break the deadlock with Darren Huckerby a constant
menace down Preston's flanks.
A goal had looked on the cards as the opening period ended and it took only 90
seconds of the second half before the deadlock was broken, though Macken stunned
Maine Road by putting the visitors ahead.
Rob Edwards robbed Wright-Phillips and released Macken who raced clear and
finished in style low past Weaver from 10 yards.
But within 90 seconds again the home side were level with Wright-Phillips
atoning for his earlier error in the best possible style.
The City youngster volleyed home from eight yards with his right foot after
Cresswell attempted to clear a Kevin Horlock corner but only succeeded in teeing
up the wing-back.
Roared on by a crowd of 34,220, City surged forward as Preston struggled to
stem the tide. Another goal had to come and in the 56th minute the Blues went
ahead through Howey as the visitors again failed to clear their lines from a
City corner.
The former Newcastle man reacted first when Moilanen failed to gather
Benarbia's kick and slotted home from barely four yards into an empty net.
City were now finding time and space at will and after several more near
misses it came as no surprise when Wanchope extended their lead in the 74th
minute.
The rangy striker latched onto Eyal Berkovic's through-ball and his
fiercely-struck right-foot drive from 12 yards gave Moilanen no chance as it
flew in off the underside of the bar.
More chances came and went for Keegan's men, and substitute Anderson set up a
tense last three minutes for the home side when deftly chipping past Weaver from
David Healy's fine through ball.
But City comfortably held on to re-establish their dominance at the top of the
table.
Teams
Man City: Weaver, Dunne, Howey, Pearce, Jensen,
Berkovic (Tiatto 80), Horlock, Benarbia (Ritchie 84), Wanchope,
Wright-Phillips (Wiekens 82), Huckerby.
Subs Not Used: Nash, Dickov.
Booked: Berkovic.
Goals: Wright-Phillips 49, Howey 56, Wanchope 74.
Preston: Moilanen, Alexander, Gregan, Lucketti, Edwards,
Cartwright (Gudjonsson 71), Etuhu, Keane, Healy, Macken,
Cresswell (Anderson 82).
Subs Not Used: Lucas, Skora, Eaton.
Booked: Gregan, Alexander.
Goals: Macken 47, Anderson 90.
Att: 34,220
Ref: A Bates (Stoke on Trent).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook