Second-placed City drew 0-0 at Swansea, who had more chances to win the game
yesteday. PHOTO: AFP
A flat Manchester City played out a goalless draw with League Cup winners Swansea City in a typical end-of-season affair at the Liberty Stadium yesterday.
With little at stake for either side in south Wales, this encounter lacked any real intensity, although FA Cup finalists City had more chances to come away with the three points.
Substitute Edin Dzeko had the clearest opening of all, firing wide from six yards with the goal gaping after being set up by Pablo Zabaleta. City’s failure to win means they could still be caught by third-placed Chelsea.
Swansea, meanwhile, have now gone seven Premier League games without a win and are struggling to hold on to their place in the top half of the table at the end of a campaign that will be forever be remembered for their triumph in February’s League Cup final against Bradford City.
Michael Laudrup’s side were looking for a repeat of their 1-0 victory in last season’s corresponding fixture, and they started brightly, with Pablo Hernandez firing off target on two occasions in the first half.
Michu let a great chance to add to his 17 league goals for the season go to waste when he missed the target from close range midway through the first period before the Spaniard saw appeals for a penalty waved away after appearing to be caught by Matija Nastasic inside the box.
City offered little in the first-half but they might have taken the lead just before the interval when David Silva was denied by Ashley Williams and then Michel Vorm in quick succession.
After the break, City goal- keeper Joe Hart, who shook off a back injury to take his place in the visitors’ side, saved well from Hernandez, before Dzeko squandered two chances to snatch victory.
The Bosnian striker, who replaced Yaya Toure at the start of the second period, failed to convert Zabaleta’s cutback and then saw his header saved by Vorm in stoppage time.
Meanwhile, Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa boosted their Premier League survival hopes as Wigan took a 3-2 win over West Brom and Villa left Carrow Road with a 2-1 triumph.
Newcastle United were held to a 0-0 draw at West Ham United and relegated Reading won 4-2 at Fulham.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 5th, 2013.
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