LAST GASP AGUERO
Pellegrini’s City leave it late, but stay in title hunt
IF there is merit in the suggestion that champions find a way to win when they are playing badly, then give the title to Manchester City now.
This display was frequently woeful, a defensive shambles from a side that had won none of their past six away games and looked set to lose another. They could not have looked more nervous if their squad had been fitted with police tags.
But, with Watford leading through an Aleksandar Kolarov own goal, City found a cure for their travel sickness. Given the beauty of the goals, and the fact they took City within three points of the table summit, they got value for money.
Yaya Toure scored the equaliser after 82 minutes, a quite brilliant volley at the near post from Kolarov’s corner. Jamie Carragher recently slammed Toure’s habit of capping poor performances with fine goals — and this was typical.
That was harsh on Watford; what happened next was simply brutal. Sergio Aguero, making his first start since September, has been sluggish in recent appearances as he has been eased back after a heel injury and this was no different.
He had two chances in the first half and did little with both. But he then headed home the 84th-minute perfectly-placed winner that changed so much.
For Watford, it was desperately unlucky. They dominated much of the first half and deserved to lead in the second. The frustration will be that they did enough to win, but wilted in each half.
For City boss Manuel Pellegrini, there must be enormous relief. With Pep Guardiola’s shadow growing larger, he might be fighting a futile battle, but a title would be a fine retort. To do that, so much needs to improve. They coughed up plenty of chances in the first half. That, as much as anything, is a hallmark of this side when Vincent Kompany does not play in defence. His absence robs Pellegrini of a talent and a stabilising influence.
It is a domino effect that no manager wants — when one man is toppled and others start to fall.
Without Kompany, City presented one of the league’s most effective strike units so much space that Watford really should have led in the opening half. Time and again, City’s confused backline appeared caught between basic thoughts of when to stay and when to go.
Inside two minutes, the pattern was set. Jose Manuel Jurado and Troy Deeney were given the freedom to play across City’s box and Kolarov was all too relaxed when Almen Abdi took possession 20 yards out. He had the space to shoot and missed by only a small distance. Had the ball dipped in, Kolarov would have looked rather silly.
If that was the warning, then it wasn’t heeded. Odion Ighalo was given a good look at goal after Abdi got the weight and timing right on a through ball and Nicolas Otamendi was forced into a desperate block. A minute later, Kolarov was trapped the wrong side of Deeney and was lucky not to concede a penalty when wrestling to reclaim possession.
Ighalo was then able to escape Otamendi’s marking and drew a save from Joe Hart. City were living a charmed life and it was not pretty.
They created chances of their own but not nearly as many as they faced. In one instance, Kevin De Bruyne shot across goal and Heurelho Gomes flicked rather meekly at the ball, sending it looping into the air rather than away. Aguero is still some way from his hair-triggered best and failed to connect with a diving header.
His second effort was even less convincing, with a heavy touch taking him away from goal before he lost his balance and fell as he shot.
In between, Fernandinho had a chance from a tight angle but shot straight at Gomes. Pellegrini’s sigh at half-time, while not entirely uncommon, said enough.
His side improved significantly during the half, but expectations are high for title contenders. This simply was not good enough.
The second half started in the same manner as the first. City’s defence backed off and allowed a side happy to shoot on sight to get a look at goal. Ben Watson had a peek, took a swing and forced Hart to concede a corner. Nothing came of it, but nothing was learnt, either.
De Bruyne then had a shot deflected over by Craig Cathcart and Fernandinho was given enough space to head from the subsequent corner but missed the target. It proved costly.
It was a set-piece that did the damage, a corner from Watson that was hit at head height to the near post. Kolarov was under pressure from Etienne Capoue and mistimed his header, allowing it to glance off his forehead and past Hart. Pellegrini looked away and responded by substituting Raheem Sterling for Jesus Navas. Watford’s fans sang: ‘You don’t know what you’re doing.’
That seemed to be tempting fate and so it proved. Toure launched a shot over the bar, before Fernanindho had a penalty appeal dismissed and De Bruyne had a low shot well saved by Gomes.
Then came the Toure rocket. Sanchez Flores could barely look. When Bacary Sagna crossed moments later and Aguero got between Cathcart and Allan Nyom, he could barely stand.
Harsh on Watford, certainly. City won’t care a jot.