Man City roll on as Raheem Sterling opens account against Watford

Manchester City 2 Watford 0

Raheem Sterling struck his first Manchester City goal as Manuel Pellegrini's men maintained their flying Barclays Premier League start with a 2-0 win over Watford.

Fernandinho was also on target as City chalked up a club record 10th successive league victory with another empahtic performance at the Etihad Stadium.

The result completed a perfect start to the season for City, who will head into the international break with a record boasting 12 points from four games, 10 goals scored and none conceded.

City had to wait until the second half to break promoted Watford’s resilience, but once Sterling had opened his account the result never seemed in doubt.

They were forced to play a patient game as Watford sat back and focused their efforts on defence.

The Hornets were well organised but limited. Captain Troy Deeney seemed to spend more time fulfilling the duties of a right-back than he did leading the line as City probed in the first half.

City controlled possession but it was 17 minutes before they had a first serious chance. Aleksandar Kolarov curled his free-kick over after Jesus Navas was fouled.

Sterling was one of City’s livelier players and twice got in on goal but Craig Cathcart blocked his first shot and Heurelho Gomes palmed away his second.

Bacary Sagna also tested Gomes while Sergio Aguero turned and flashed an effort wide.

Manager Pellegrini looked a frustrated man as the half-time whistle blew and he made a change with Samir Nasri replacing the ineffective Navas.

The breakthrough came just two minutes after the restart as Watford lost possession outside the area and Sagna whipped in a superb cross. Sterling timed his run perfectly and turned the ball home unmarked from six yards.

The game began to open up and a second goal followed from a free-kick nine minutes later. Yaya Toure’s set-piece was blocked by the wall but the excellent Fernandinho followed up, heading forward for Silva and then rifling past Gomes after taking a return pass.

Soon after Silva curled a free-kick over and Toure blasted over from a good position.

Watford were a beaten side and could not get back into the game. Sterling left the field to a good ovation when he was substituted in the final minute.

Tottenham 0 Everton 0

Tim Howard denied Tottenham their first Premier League win of the season with a string of superb saves that enabled Everton to leave White Hart Lane with a goalless draw.

Harry Kane, Ryan Mason and Toby Alderweireld were kept at bay by Howard in the first half, although Kane should have finished his one on one with the American goalkeeper.

Spurs, who named Erik Lamela on the bench, only had themselves to blame for not grabbing all three points in a dominant second half that saw chance after chance squandered.

Both sides had a player carried from the pitch on a stretcher, Everton’s Tom Cleverley in clear pain after being felled by Eric Dier and Mousa Dembele following a bizarre self-inflicted injury when his right boot appeared to clip his left Achilles.

AFC Bournemouth 1 Leicester City 1

Jamie Vardy scored from the penalty spot with just four minutes remaining to maintain Leicester's unbeaten start to the season at Bournemouth.

The Cherries appeared to be on course for their first home victory in the Premier League after Callum Wilson’s acrobatic strike in the first half.

But Steve Cook hauled down Vardy in the penalty area and the Foxes striker then stepped up to score his side's equaliser and ensure a 1-1 draw.

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe made just one change from the side that ran out 4-3 winners at West Ham last weekend. Joshua King, sidelined with a hamstring strain, was replaced by Lee Tomlin who made his first Premier League start.

With only 15 seconds gone, Max Gradel found himself in referee Neil Swarbrick's notebook after a rash challenge on Riyad Mahrez. It was a poor tackle in an otherwise impressive display by the Bournemouth winger against his former club.

Mahrez was then in the thick of it moments later when he was denied his fifth goal of the season. He was adjudged to be offside following a Marc Albrighton through-ball and it appeared to be the right decision.

From there Bournemouth dominated the opening period and Wilson’s delightful strike after 24 minutes was no more than they deserved.

Charlie Daniels was afforded too much space on the left-hand side and his cross eventually fell to Wilson. His improvised effort left Kasper Schmeichel stranded in the Leicester goal and Bournemouth celebrated their first Premier League strike at Dean Court.

In the second half Leicester began to take a stranglehold on the game and Artur Boruc was finally called into action in the Bournemouth goal with 70 minutes gone when Jeff Schlupp escaped the offside trap but his effort was parried away.

Bournemouth were rattled and Vardy was upended by Cook after a mazy run. The England international converted from the spot to the delight of the visiting fans.

Vardy could then have been awarded another spot-kick after he appeared to be fouled by Tommy Elphick. It was not to be and Bournemouth managed to hung on for a point in a frenetic finale.

Stoke City 0 West Bromwich Albion 1

Stoke sunk to a 1-0 defeat to West Brom after having two men sent off in the space of six first-half minutes on ex-Potters boss Tony Pulis’ maiden return to the Britannia Stadium.

Ibrahim Afellay and Charlie Adam both appeared to only have themselves to blame as they were shown straight red cards in the 25th and 31st minutes respectively, the former having put his hand in the face of Craig Gardner and the latter seeming to stamp on Craig Dawson.

West Brom — again with Tottenham target Saido Berahino not part of their squad - subsequently grabbed the lead in first-half stoppage time as Salomon Rondon headed in his first goal since joining the club.

Stoke, who left a player with an uncertain future out themselves in Jonathan Walters, put up a creditable fight thereafter.

But it was always going to be difficult to salvage anything from the game following the two entirely avoidable-looking dismissals, and they remain without a Barclays Premier League victory this season, while West Brom now have their first.