Manchester City opened 2014 by moving to the top of the Premier League table with a 3-2 victory away at Swansea City.
Fernandinho netted the first goal of the new year at the Liberty
Stadium, Wilfried Bony replied on two occasions for the hosts, but Yaya
Toure and Aleksandar Kolarov wrapped up the points for Manuel
Pellegrini's side.
City, who endured their struggles on the road in 2013, got off to the
perfect start on a wet and windy afternoon in South Wales, with Jonathan
de Guzman inadvertently deflecting a corner into the path of
Fernandinho to drill home on 14 minutes.
Swansea grew into the game though - with only their finishing letting
them down - and they hauled themselves level in first-half stoppage-time
when De Guzman whipped over a cross for Bony to plant a powerful header
into the bottom corner - leaving Joe Hart rooted to the spot.
They were, however, unable to keep the back door bolted in the second
period and, after the Swans had failed to clear their lines, Toure spun
inside the box just before the hour mark to drive past Gerhard Tremmel
via the aid of Ashley Williams' studs.
On 66 minutes, City made the game safe as Kolarov was allowed to travel
a long way with the ball, cut inside onto his less favored right foot
and drill through Tremmel - with another deflection doing the German
goalkeeper few favors.
They were made to sweat a little in the closing stages as Bony lashed
in his second of the game from distance, but there was to be no late
twist in the tale.
It did not take long for Manuel Pellegrini's side to threaten the home
goal as Edin Dzeko, Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas combined, with the
Bosnian firing wide from the edge of box.
Bony smashed a fierce effort just wide at the other end during a lively
opening before Swansea suffered the misfortune of losing Pablo
Hernandez to injury in just the eighth minute.
The winger, so often hindered by injuries since joining from Valencia,
went down clutching his left hamstring and was in tears as he left the
field to be replaced by Roland Lamah.
Matters got worse for Swansea when they fell behind in the 14th minute.
Samir Nasri's corner struck De Guzman, and Fernandinho made no mistake in hammering the loose ball beyond Tremmel.
Swansea responded well to going behind, with Jonjo Shelvey firing wide
and De Guzman failing to beat Hart after a lovely flowing counter
involving Lamah and Bony.
The hosts continued to press and referee Phil Dowd waved away penalty
claims against Vincent Kompany when a Williams shot struck the Belgian's
arm.
The Swans were given two scares when Negredo and Dzeko failed to
capitalize on sloppy play in the home defense, and the failure to take
those chances came back to haunt City as Bony, enjoying one of his best
days in a Swansea shirt, gave Hart no chance with a header from De
Guzman's pinpoint cross.
Flores and Tremmel almost undid all Swansea's good work six minutes
into the second half. The pair hesitated dealing with Nasri's lofted
pass and Negredo nipped in, only to shoot straight at the keeper.
There was no such reprieve for the hosts in the 58th minute when they
failed to clear a Nasri cross and Toure pounced to fire past Tremmel
with the aid of a deflection off Williams.
Eight minutes later the clinching goal arrived. Kolarov robbed Wayne
Routledge just inside the City half and drove forward unchallenged
before cutting inside on to his right foot to beat Tremmel, who ought to
have done better.
The excellent Bony worked Hart at the other end before the keeper got a
stroke of luck after he came for, and got nowhere near, a De Guzman
corner which Williams could only prod wide of an empty net.
Bony pulled one back in stoppage time with a superb low drive, but it was not enough for Swansea.
