De Bruyne scored his second goal in two games as he slowly starts to repay the exorbitant transfer fee that saw him move from Wolfsburg to City. PHOTO: REUTERS
Manchester City’s perfect start to the Premier League season was abruptly ended by a 2-1 loss at home to West Ham United at the weekend, but Manuel Pellegrini’s team bounced back in style at the Stadium of Light.
They were 4-0 up inside 36 minutes through a ninth-minute Sergio Aguero penalty, de Bruyne’s second goal for the club, an own goal by Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone and a neat finish by Raheem Sterling.
“We played well, especially in the first half,” said Pellegrini. “Maybe in the second half, winning 4-0, we stopped our pace a little bit, but I am pleased because we started this game after two important defeats. “It was important to continue in this cup and it was important to try to win from the first minute. We scored four beautiful goals.”
Struggling Sunderland, bottom of the Premier League table after six games without victory, replied courtesy of an 83rd-minute header by close-season signing Ola Toivonen.
Swansea, meanwhile, lost to a 41st-minute David Meyler strike at Hull, who were relegated from the Premier League in May, to become the second top-flight team to be knocked out of this season’s tournament after second-round casualties Watford, although they were later joined by West Ham.
Andy King scored a 116th-minute header as Leicester City continued their fine form to beat the Hammers 2-1 after extra time in the only all-Premier League tie of the evening.
Young striker Joe Dodoo put Leicester ahead in the early stages, with Mauro Zarate’s deflected shot bringing West Ham level in the 27th minute.
Leicester, the last unbeaten team in the English top tier, prevailed four minutes from the end of extra time when Wales international King rose to plant a header in the top-left corner from Christian Fuchs’s cross.
Elsewhere, Everton had to come from behind to win 2-1 at Championship side Reading. Nick Blackman’s opener was cancelled out by a powerful Ross Barkley strike in the 62nd minute before Gerard Deulofeu sealed victory with his first goal since returning to Everton on a permanent basis from Barcelona, a plunging 30-yard free-kick.
At Fulham, Peter Crouch’s cool first-half finish earned Stoke City a 1-0 win, while Aston Villa saw off Championship derby rivals Birmingham City 1-0 courtesy of an emphatic 62nd-minute header from Rudy Gestede.
“It was a tough game today,” said Gestede. “It was important to get the win for our confidence because we haven’t started the season very well.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2015.
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