City smashed West Bromwich Albion four nil at Etihad stadium while Wigan defeated league leaders Manchester United one nil at home.
City’s victory and United’s loss now closes the gap down to five points, and - after scoring four goals in tonight’s game - City have managed to turn the goal difference around to three goals in their favour. With five games left to play and fifteen points still up for grabs there could still be everything left to play for.
After a dismal performance - resulting in a one nil loss - to Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday, City’s dream of winning the Premier league this season seemed hopeless. With eight points behind United and a recent recurring theme of poor results – although mathematically possible – the revival of City’s chances seemed bleak.
With Yaya Toure out from an injury that occurred on Sunday and Ballotelli suspended after sheer idiocy on the same day, Mancini needed to make some team changes. He decided to adopt an attacking formation and it worked beautifully. City demonstrated a form recognisable to their terrific start to the season – a form that had recently escaped them. They were both pleasurable and admirable to look.
The first goal came from Sergio Aguero after only five minutes of play. Aguero held off a challenge from Keith Andrews before slotting passed Ben Foster into the bottom left hand corner of the goal. West Brom managed to prevent any further goals in the first half but their defensive play meant that City keeper Joe Hart barely had to do much through most of the game. Effective defensive play from both Nigel De Jong and Gareth Barry meant that there was never much threat of a goal from the away team.
It was Aguero who scored City’s second goal in the 54th minute, after the ball was thread to him by Samir Nasri. Carlos Tevez scored the third goal - his first goal for City since May last year. His shot was mishit but a deflection off Nicky Shorey ensured that the ball went in the net. Tevez may still not be completely forgiven by the City fans –and it is possible that he never will be – but scoring goals usually helps.
The final goal and the best goal by far came deservingly from David Silva. The Spaniard clipped the ball over Ben Foster, reminding fans of his quality and once again raising the question – do we dare believe?
Unfortunately – even if the fans do – the manager does not. In an interview after the game, Mancini said that the title race was over despite saying that it was not when City were three points worse off.
My hopes are not high but I must say that tonight has left a glimmer. That’s the beauty of football – anything can happen.