Kelechi Iheanacho scored twice as Manchester City prepared for their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid with a straightforward 4-0 Premier League victory over Stoke City on Saturday.
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“We scored more than a hundred goals and when we played at Barcelona we did not deserve to lose but were beaten 1-0 through an unbelievable goal by Zlatan Ibrahimovic”.
Shay Given gratefully collected the ball when it deflected kindly into his grasp off Nicolas Otamendi from a Jesus Navas free-kick, but despite their dominance of possession, City initially struggled to truly test their former keeper. The Spaniard’s injury-time lay-off allowed Nemanja Matic to tee up Hazard’s second goal.
“He is a fantastic player and makes an enormous difference to a game”, Pellegrini said in an interview with Marca.
But Papiss Cisse brought the visitors back into the game with a 48th-minute header before Jack Colback drove in a deflected 66th-minute leveller to take Newcastle to within a point of fourth-bottom Norwich City and prevent seventh-place Liverpool closing on the European berths.
It means the Ivorian is now a doubt for the visit of Real Madrid on Tuesday although it is possible Pellegrini never planned on starting him as he did not against Paris Saint-Germain. “Always the most important thing is the result and to score four goals and have a clean sheet is very important but we play eight games in 30 days so it was also very important to have some rotations”.
On the other hand, Stoke City are desperately trying to look for a win as they have only won once in their last six league games.
Pellegrini’s side cruised back into third place in the Premier League and nearer guaranteed qualification for next season’s Champions League with a dominant display at Eastlands on Saturday.
It was the same thing with Kevin De Bruyne. But he produced an outstanding display, helping his side to a two-goal first-half lead before being replaced just after the hour mark.
He scored a brace and forced a penalty as City hammered Stoke City 4-0 at the Etihad to move into third on the premier league log. Yaya Toure finished with a muscle injury so we will see tomorrow with the doctor.
“I’m happy for him as he is a young player with a lot of condition”.
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EPL: Aston Villa 2 (Westwood 45+1, 85) lost to Southampton 4 (Long 15, Tadic 39, 71, Mane 90+4); Bournemouth 1 (Elphick 36) lost to Chelsea 4 (Pedro 5, Hazard 34, 90+1, Willian 71).
