Norwich 1 Manchester City 6: Tevez hits three as Citizens keep pressure on United
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UPDATED:
15:04 GMT, 14 April 2012
Carlos Tevez scored a stunning hat-trick as Manchester City turned the heat up on league leaders Manchester United with a clinical hammering of Norwich at Carrow Road.
Starting successive Barclays Premier League games for the first time in 11 months, Tevez blasted home a 20-yard swirling shot to open the scoring before he backheeled to Sergio Aguero, who made it 2-0 with a venomous volley.
Andrew Surman pulled one back just after the break to give the Canaries hope, but a Tevez second-half double, a late strike from Adam Johnson, and a majestic curler from Aguero gave City a hugely impressive victory to cut United's lead to two points.
On fire: Carlos Tevez wheels away after hitting his second of the afternoon
MATCH FACTS
Norwich: Ruddy, Martin, Ward, Ryan Bennett, Drury, Elliott Bennett, Howson, Johnson (Hoolahan 46), Pilkington (Surman 46), Holt, Wilbraham (Morison 68). Subs not used: Steer, Jackson, Fox, Naughton.
Booked: Bennett.
Scorer: Surman 51.
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, De Jong, Barry, Nasri (Y Toure 63), Tevez (Richards 81), Aguero, Silva (Johnson 75). Subs not used: Pantilimon, Milner, Dzeko, Kolarov.
Booked: Tevez, Nasri.
Scorers: Tevez 18, 73, 80, Aguero 27, 75.
Referee: Chris Foy.
Attendance: 26,812.
Tevez, who famously went AWOL in
Argentina for six months after refusing to come off the bench against
Bayern Munich, is now well and truly back to his best and could yet have
a decisive say in this title race with his former employers.
The diminutive striker looked sharp
all afternoon, dropping deep and working the channels all game to cause
the Canaries all sorts of problems, and his finishing was quite superb.
Having pegged United back to a
five-point lead in midweek, the Red Devils now only have a marginal lead
ahead of their game against Aston Villa tomorrow, and the Manchester
derby on April 30 looks an even more appetising prospect after Tevez's
fine display today.
The Argentine played a big part in
City's 4-0 annihilation of West Brom in midweek and it was clear from
the start today that the win had clearly raised confidence levels at the
Etihad Stadium.
The warning signs of a drubbing were there from the kick-off.
In the swing: Tevez celebrates after hitting his second of the afternoon
David Silva chipped the Norwich defence looking for Samir Nasri but his touch let him down and John Ruddy came to the rescue.
Norwich hit back on the counter
through Anthony Pilkington, who skipped past Pablo Zabaleta and
embarrassed Nasri with a clever turn but he curled wide from 10 yards.
Play continued to fly from end to end and Tevez looked a big threat for the visitors.
Heading home: Tevez nods his second to put City 3-1 up
Ruddy saved well from the Argentina striker before he then went down under a challenge from Ryan Bennett.
The defender clearly caught Tevez's standing leg but Chris Foy flashed a yellow card for diving instead of awarding a penalty.
City were furiously denied another penalty moments later when Pilkington tugged Aguero's shirt but Foy again gave no penalty.
In the thick of it: Tevez is mobbed by his team-mates after opening the scoring
Grant Holt met a looping ball in the box but Joleon Lescott cleared the striker's header under the bar.
After an entertaining spell it seemed inevitable an opener would come and it did in the 18th minute.
Elliott Ward's short pass allowed
Silva to find Tevez via Aguero and the former Manchester United man
unleashed a 25-yard swerving shot that beat Ruddy at his near post.
Nine minutes later it was 2-0. Tevez
and Aguero exchanged passes twice on the break, the second of which was a
clever backheel, and Aguero volleyed home from 20 yards.
Three and easy: Tevez completes his hat-trick
Norwich went in at half-time firmly on the back foot and the home crowd feared a rout.
The last time City visited Carrow
Road in 2005, Canaries owner Delia Smith took to the pitch at half-time
to give her toe-curling 'let's be havin' you' address to the Norwich
faithful.
Thankfully she refrained from doing
so today, and whatever Paul Lambert said instead inside the confines of
the dressing room worked briefly as Norwich pulled one back through
Surman.
On target: Aguero wheels away after doubling City's advantage
The substitute collected the ball from Hart's punch before rifling a 20-yard screamer in to the net.
The goal boosted Norwich, but City held strong.
Tevez broke clear only to be hauled
back by Ryan Bennett with a tackle that would not look out of place on a
rugby league pitch. The defender rightly entered the referee's book.
Completing the rout: Adam Johnson beats John Ruddy to make it 6-1
Ruddy saved from Pablo Zabaleta with his legs as City looked to restore their two-goal cushion.
Norwich's resistance was broken again in the 73rd minute thanks to Tevez's second.
Ruddy blocked Yaya Toure's powerful
drive, the ball flew up in the air, and Tevez beat his marker to nod
home in to an empty net.
Back in it: Andrew Surman made it 2-1 from close range
Less than 90 seconds later City were
4-1 up. This time it was Tevez's compatriot Aguero who struck, curling a
wonderful 20-yard effort beyond the out-stretched Ruddy.
Tevez's remarkable afternoon was
completed with 10 minutes to go when he beat the offside trip and
rounded Ruddy before mimicking a golf-swing in his celebration in front
of the travelling fans.
Contentious: Tevez appeared to have been fouled by Ryan Bennett, but referee Chris Foy saw it differently
Whether the celebration was a dig at
Mancini, who lambasted Tevez for spending his time playing golf while in
exile earlier this season or not he was replaced seconds later for
Richards.
Johnson, who had earlier come on for Silva, struck the bar in the final minute and Aguero did the same in injury time.
In the book: Tevez received a debateable yellow card for diving
Aguero found Clichy at the back post
in the 93rd minute, he squared to Johnson and he made no mistake from
six yards to complete the pummelling.
Gripping viewing: The Manchester City bench can barely take their eyes off proceedings