TOTTENHAM 1, MAN CITY 5
EDIN DZEKO has silenced his critics with an incredible goalscoring run for Manchester City.
The four goals the big Bosnian scored in City’s 5-1 triumph at Tottenham Hotspur took his season’s total to eight in five matches.
Dzeko, who has scored in all five of City’s competitive matches, is looking a totally different to the player who signed from German side Wolfsburg for £27million in January.
After a laboured start at City, the 6ft 3in was being written off as an expensive flop as there were serious doubts and misgivings whether Dzeko would ever integrate into the side.
Dzeko admitted it was a baptism of fire moving to Manchester mid-season saying: “I came to the best league in the world and everything was difficult and different. It was a hard six months as I did not have a pre-season with them.
“I feel fitter, stronger and a different player and to score four goals against such a good team is an amazing feeling.”
Dzeko has struck a fruitful partnership with new-boy Sergio Aguero as Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli find themselves on the bench among £86million worth of talent.
City produced a breathtaking display away to a team with hopes of a realistic challenge for a top-four place, a measure of the significance of this victory.
It was eclipsed, however, hours later be events at Old Trafford where Manchester United put eight goals past Arsenal.
City manager Roberto Mancini was also not completely satisfied with his side’s performance again concerned about the goals they are conceding – three in the last two matches.
He said: “We played well, fantastic against a top team like Tottenham, but I need to ask about the goal we conceded.
“We must pay more attention as we are letting in too many goals from set pieces.”
City handed a debut to Samir Nasri whose protracted transfer from Arsenal was only concluded days earlier.
Nasri effortlessly slotted into the side and provided assists for two of Dzeko’s goals as the impact he made was instant.
City keeper Joe Hart twice saved well from Rafael van der Vaart while opposite number Brad Friedel denied David Silva as it took until the 34th minute for the deadlock to be broken.
Nasri and Aguero played a delightful one-two before the former crossed and Dzeko’s outstretched leg diverted the ball into the net from inside the six-yard box.
Nasri also supplied the cross for Dzeko to make it 2-0 seven minutes later with a well-directed header back across the face of goal.
Dzeko completed his hat trick in the 55th minute as he was lurking at the far post to covert a low Yaya Toure cross.
It was 4-0 after an hour when Aguero took on Michael Dawson before finding the net with a precision angled shot into the far corner.
Younes Kaboul was left free to head home a van der Vaart cross for Spurs’ consolation goal to the annoyance of Mancini.
It was fitting, however, that Dzeko ought to have the final word as in stoppage time he scored his fourth goal. He played a return pass with Gareth Barry and curled a shot high into the top corner of the net from the edge of the box.