MAN CITY 3, WEST BROM 1
Manchester City all but secured Champions League with victory against West Brom on the night legend Pablo Zabaleta made his final appearance at the Etihad.
After nine years, 333 appearances and 14 goals for City, the Argentine right back is leaving and it was an emotion and tearful night for the popular player and also for fans, many of whom were seen dabbing their eyes.
And it was a measure of the esteem in which he is held that hardly any City fan left the stadium at the final whistle as City fans bid farewell to their favourite son.
Zabaleta, who won two Premier League titles, two EFL Cups, the FA Cup and Community Shield, was had been named in the PFA team of the year to become of their most decorated players.
It was a comfortable victory for City as the Baggies have clearly been in their holidays in recent weeks.
Goals from Gabriel Jesus, Kevin De Bruyne and Yaya Toure strengthened City’s hold on third position. And the only blemish was a late defensive lapse that enabled Hal Robson-Kanu to score a consolation goal for the visitors.
City manager Pep Guardiola was pleased with the victory that almost certainly guarantees third place, though he added the night belonged to Zabaleta.
He said: “It was a perfect night, especially for Pablo and I saw how important and the impact he had had at the club when I saw women crying and he meant a lot to them.
“He was a legend like Hart, Kompany, Yaya, Silva and Sergio who helped create this club.”
Guardiola was pleased how his side combated one of the strongest and most physical teams in the Premier League and the way they created chances as they recorded an 11th straight win against West Brom.
City enjoyed 71-per-cent possession and created 21 chances to the Baggies’ five with 10 on target to two.
Sergio Aguero won a recall to City’s starting line up as he partnered Jesus up front.
Aleksandar Kolarov replaced Gael Clichy, the second change from the starting line up against Leicester City on Sunday.
And Kolarov came within a whisker of giving City a 14th minute lead as his 30-yard free kick, awarded for a foul on Jesus, brought a fine fingertip save from Ben Foster.
City had another glorious opening three minutes later when Aguero robbed Craig Dawson and released Leroy Sane who fired wide when he ought to have found the net.
The breakthrough came in the 27th minute when Jesus found the net, his sixth goal in 10 appearances for City.
De Bruyne wriggled free on the left and square a pass for Jesus to tap in from three yards. It was the Belgium’s 16th assist of the season.
And one minute 46 seconds later it was 2-0 as Jesus repaid the compliment as he squared the ball to De Bruyne who thundered home a low shot from 22 yards for his seventh goal of the season.
It was effectively game over with less than half an hour played.
City were oozing confidence and De Bruyne even tried an audacious shot from 35 yards that forced Foster into a diving save as he turned the ball to safety.
Aguero fired straight at Foster and Sane’s drive cleared the bar by inches as City were rampant.
After a lukewarm start to the second period, City added a third goal in the 57th minute.
Toure picked up the ball in the centre of the field, drove forward and played a return pass with Aguero before charging into the penalty area and slotting the ball low past Foster. It was Toure’s fifth goal in his last five games against the Baggies.
Zabaleta replaced Silva just after the hour as he received a standing ovation on his farewell appearance.
Jesus was denied a second goal by an excellent save from Foster, the Brazilian’s brilliant footwork took three defenders out of the game before he shot.
Vincent Kompany was replaced by John Stones with 13 minutes left as Guardiola made his second change with Zabaleta taking the captain’s armband for the closing stages.
And the last change in the 80th mite saw Toure replaced by Fernando Reges.
Foster prevented City adding a fourth goal with six minutes remaining when he pulled off a superb double save to deny Jesus.
The Baggies scored a consolation with three minutes left when Allan Nyom’s low cross from the right was slotted home by substitute Robson-Kanu who was seven yards out.