West Brom 2 Manchester City 1:"THIRTY-FOUR years and counting" reads a banner at Old Trafford, a gloating reminder – as if Manchester City fans needed one – of how long it is since they won silverware. If the nouveau riche of Eastlands are to break the spell this season, it will not be in the English League Cup.
In an entertaining tie between reserve-strewn sides, West Bromwich shrugged off Jo’s early strike to reach the fourth round through goals in rapid succession by Gianni Zuiverloon and Simon Cox.
Roberto Mancini made 11 changes, bringing in a quartet making full debuts, four teenagers and a back four with an average age of less than 20 and three Premier League appearances between them.
Shay Given received his first start this season, while City’s bench included players who cost them €70 million. Albion rested a mere 10 of the side who beat Birmingham, retaining Nicky Shorey, and gave a first start to Somen Tchoyi, the Cameroonian recruited by Roberto Di Matteo from Austrian football.
City, having weathered early pressure, stole in front midway through the first half. Patrick Vieira, captaining, played a diagonal pass which John Guidetti failed to control. The ball ran to Jo whose fierce low shot from 18 yards seemed to pass through the diving Boaz Myhill.
Albion then peppered City’s goal, only to find Given in the kind of form that proves he is wasted warming anyone’s bench. A flying one-handed save from a close-range hook shot thwarted Roman Bednar. Then the goal keeper repeated the feat to parry Giles Barnes’s downward header before blocking Tchoyi’s follow-up.
Given’s aura also seemed to inhibit Albion. Simon Cox, released by the cunning of Graham Dorrans, skied his shot, while Bednar glanced a free header wide.
The Donegal man was helpless when Albion struck twice in two minutes early in the second half.
As City appealed for a foul on Ben Mee on the edge of the area, right-back Zuiverloon drilled a diagonal shot beyond Given’s outstretched hand.
Mancini’s defensive rookies had barely had time to regroup before Bednar flicked on a long ball, giving Cox an opportunity to hold off Dedryck Boyata before atoning for his earlier rush of blood with a strong, composed finish.
Guardian Service
WEST BROM: Myhill, Zuiverloon, Meite, Pablo, Shorey (Jara 67), Tchoyi, Reid, Dorrans, Barnes, Bednar (Fortune 82), Cox. Subs not used: Carson, Olsson, Brunt, Odemwingie, Scharner.
MANCHESTER CITY: Given, Vidal (Zabaleta 54), Boyata, Mee, Cunningham, Adam Johnson, Vieira, Ibrahim (Milner 71), Jo, Santa Cruz (Silva 80), Guidetti. Subs not used: Taylor, Kompany, Kay, Veseli. Booked: Vidal.
Referee: N Swarbrick(Lancashire).
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)