The Manchester City Project

Manchester City secured a place in the third round of the league cup with a comfortable win over Crystal Palace. Goals from Shaun Wright-Phillips and Carlos Tevez ensured that City did not suffer a 2nd Round embarrassing defeat – again.

Joleon Lescott was thrust into the starting line-up after completing his move from Everton on Wednesday and helped City keep a third consecutive clean sheet. Palace threatened City’s goal in the first half with Moses very effective down the left and Sears coming close three times. Given was again on top form to prevent Palace gaining the lead.

City should have been ahead after 18 minutes when Robinho was ruled offside despite actually starting his run in his own half. This was one of a number of wrong desicisons by an inept linesman.

In the second half City completely dominated. They started the half with a goal when Ireland fed the ball through to Wright-Phillips on the edge of the area. Wright-Phillips smashed the ball – beating Speroni at his near post.

With 20 minutes remaining Carlos Tevez put the game beyond Palace with a header from six yards out after being left unmarked from a corner.

The strong starting line-up was necessary in order to ensure victory but also to help the new team gel together, which they are doing with every minute of play. Manager Mark Hughes was pleased with Carlos Tevez getting on the team sheet: "I was hoping that by playing Carlos that it would be an opportunity for him to get off the mark and was delighted that he did so.

"Carlos is a quality player with great intelligence. He makes the right runs time and time again.

"He is working very nicely with Emmanuel Adebayor."

Match Facts:
Crystal Palace 0
Manchester City 2 (Wright-Phillips 50, Tevez 72)
Thursday 27 August 2009, 8:00PM
Selhurst Park Att: 14725 Carling Cup


Crystal Palace: Speroni; Clyne, Fonte, McCarthy, Hill; Ambrose (Smith, 71), Danns, Derry, Moses (Carle, 79); N'Diaye, Sears (Scannell, 71). Unused subs: Flahavan, Lawrence, Lee, Butterfield

Bookings:

Manchester City: Given; Richards, Toure, Lescott, Bridge; Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Barry; Tevez (De Jong, 86), Adebayor, Robinho (Bellamy, 72). Unused subs: Taylor, Onuoha, Zabaleta, Petrov, Weiss

Bookings: Richards (10)