Manchester City keep eyes on the prize to swat aside FA Cup hopefuls Notts County
Manchester clearly has no time for misty-eyed sentimentality over the FA Cup. Manchester United’s Pyrrhic victory over Crawley on Saturday, though, at least acknowledged the spirit of this competition.
On target: Patrick Vieira hit two as Manchester City enjoyed a five goal flurry against Derby County Photo: PA
By Rory Smith 11:07PM GMT 20 Feb 2011
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Manchester City were rather more ruthless against Notts County. Although the Cup’s romance withered along Mancunian Way this weekend, its significance soared. “The FA Cup is always important,” Roberto Mancini said. “And for us, it is important to reach a final.”
His words were almost tautologous. Mancini’s teamsheet expressed the same belief, the City manager fielding Mario Balotelli, David Silva, Yaya Touré and Edin Dzeko. Their neighbours may have given the impression they have better things to do than win the FA Cup but for City there is nothing so alluring as the gleam of silver.
Mancini has earned a reputation as a safety first sort of a manager. His desire to avoid risk here, though, is unlikely to be judged pejoratively. There is a banner which hangs from Old Trafford’s Stretford End, marking every year which passes since City last won a trophy. The Italian has made it his mission to have that very public taunt removed.
To do so, he will need first to overcome Aston Villa, and then Everton or Reading. Expect equally strong line-ups then, too. “The next two games are not friendlies,” he said. “And we never beat Everton.”
To rid themselves of that hoodoo, Mancini will have to hope his multi-million pound superstars perform rather better than they did here. The scoreline, bloated by three late goals from Carlos Tévez, Dzeko and Micah Richards, offers the impression that City cruised into the fifth round. Such a picture is misleading.
Indeed, had it not been for two simple strikes from set-pieces from the rather unlikely source of Patrick Vieira, City might have found those last few minutes infinitely more uncomfortable, particularly after the start Notts County made.
Clearly infused with confidence after running the world’s richest club close at Meadow Lane, Paul Ince’s team opened with all the intensity expected of the FA Cup’s Davids when offered a glimpse of their Goliath. Krystian Pearce headed over, Alan Gow saw a free-kick saved, Karl Hawley struck a post with a deliciously-curled effort.
City, conversely, created little, Dzeko heading straight at Stuart Nelson. They required a slice of good fortune to take the lead, Vieira’s header from Silva’s corner deflecting off Pearce’s hand and in. His second was rather more emphatic, Aleksandar Kolarov’s delivery thumped home just before the hour.
“It was disappointing to lose two goals from set-pieces,” Ince said. “But you look at their side, and they are powerful. We had players at 5ft 10in who were marking someone at 6ft 2in, 6ft 3in. It was always going to be an uphill struggle, but against teams like this you have to take advantage of whatever chances you get.”
County did not. Ince felt that if his side had equalised, they might have caused an upset. As it was, the second goal heralded the arrival of the man who would rob them of all hope, who would turn this game from struggle into saunter.
As Vieira celebrated, Balotelli lay prostrate on the floor, victim of a clash of heads with Pearce. His injury was, at least, well timed: Mancini had always planned to remove him after an hour following almost two months on the sidelines. The striker, though, is not one to accept even that sort of logic graciously; his snood was tossed to the floor in disgust as he groggily made his way from the pitch.
In his stead came the man who would, eventually, leave County dazed and confused. Tévez rounded Nelson to score the third, teed up Dzeko for a simple fourth and watched as Richards lashed home the fifth. Three goals in seven minutes. The Argentine does not have a sympathetic bone in his body.
That is why Mancini introduced his captain, now on 50 goals in 69 City appearances. He needed the sort of character who has no room for romance. City, for now, exist to win a trophy, any trophy. Mancini needs players who have nothing but desire.
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