Manchester City 4-0 Stoke: Fernando, Sergio Aguero and Kelechi Iheanacho on target as hosts ease past Potters at the Etihad
The sun shone, Stoke wilted again, and Manchester City strolled to victory. As a prelude to Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final here against Real Madrid, Manuel Pellegrini could hardly have wished for anything better.
The City manager was able to tweak his squad as he saw fit for their biggest game of the season. Captain Vincent Kompany and Fernandinho were rested. Kevin De Bruyne was left on the bench.
David Silva played 57 minutes on his return from injury, and Sergio Aguero was also withdrawn with plenty left in the tank after scoring his 23rd goal of the season.
And still City won at a canter, moving ever closer to a guaranteed place in next season’s Champions League regardless of whether they are crowned champions of Europe in the weeks ahead.
The perfect preparation for Madrid? ‘I think so,’ said Pellegrini. ‘It was very important to have our minds focused on this game and not on Tuesday. That is the best way.’
Stoke’s minds are clearly on the end of the season, making them the ideal opponents.
Indeed, this was the third game in a row that Mark Hughes’s side have conceded four goals following heavy defeats against Liverpool and Tottenham.
In contrast to his old club City, Hughes’s injury problems continue to pile up.
He confirmed before kick-off that Ibrahim Afellay will be out until Christmas after snapping the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in training on Friday.
Veteran goalkeeper Shay Given, himself a replacement for the injured Jack Butland, went off at half-time with a groin problem. Stoke’s best player Marko Arnautovic followed before the end, clutching a thigh.
‘We are hurting a bit with the injuries,’ admitted Hughes. ‘Even so, on paper I had a decent enough team out there that should have done better.
‘That’s three poor games and too many poor goals conceded. But we’ve had a decent enough season. We have three games to come and we will go again.’
Stoke could actually have scored first as Ryan Shawcross scuffed wide from a good position, and then the disappointing Joselu planted a free header over from Arnautovic’s cross.
But City never looked back after Fernando put them in front in the 35th minute with only his second goal of the season.
The Brazilian lost his marker Geoff Cameron as he ran to the near post to meet a corner from Jesus Navas and glance a header just inside Given’s right-hand post.