Fri03292024

Last update02:06:32 PM

Today Live:

Man City cast, Newcastle continued solid start

premier league live bettingManchester City continued with impressive victories. In the game of the third round of Premier League 'civilians' blurred 5-1 Tottenham, and as a guest - the "White Hart Lane."

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international had new signing Samir Nasri to thank for two of his four goals, tapping in the opener from the Frenchman's low cross and then heading home from a more lofted delivery minutes later. When Yaya Toure slide the ball across goal in the second half he took his chance to claim his hat-trick, before adding a wonderful effort from long range just as the game reached its conclusion.

Prior to that final strike, Sergio Aguero had beaten Brad Friedel with a close-range finish and defender Younes Kaboul had bundled over a consolation goal for Harry Redknapp's side, who were booed off at half-time and full-time.

Both managers made notable team selections, with Nasri thrown straight into the starting line-up up for City and Luka Modric restored to Spurs' starting XI. But it was the former man who enjoyed the better afternoon (Modric, in contrast, would later be substituted), as he immediately linked up with the likes of David Silva and Aguero to leave the home side chasing shadows in midfield.

Despite the one-sided nature of the final scoreline it took a while for City to get on top, with Peter Crouch and Gareth Bale both wasting good opportunities. But Dzeko got his first soon after the half hour mark, reacting first after good interplay from Nasri and David Silva to flick the cross past Friedel. A second came seven minutes later, the former Wolfsburg striker this time showing Crouch how to do it in the air, arching his body impressively to head a hanging cross back across goal and beyond the keeper once again.

The game finally escaped Spurs' grasp during a six-minute spell in the second half. First Dzeko grabbed his hat-trick after Toure got behind the defence to put across an inviting square ball, before Aguero flicked home a fourth after leaving Michael Dawson for dead and seeing Friedel duck out of the way of his shot at goal.

Kaboul sparked faint hopes of a revival as he headed home from a corner with just under 20 minutes remaining, but that proved to be the sum total of the fightback. Perhaps fittingly, then, it was Dzeko who had the final word - as his blasted effort from all of 25 yards made the scoreline all the more emphatic.

Elsewhere, Newcastle United continued their solid start to the season with a 2-1 win over Fulham.

Leon Best got both the goals for the home side, who also had Tim Krul to thank for a number of spectacular saves, before Clint Dempsey got a late goal for Martin Jol's side that proved to be nothing more than a consolation.

The first half was lacking in real action but the game soon sparked into life in the second, with Best taking advantage of some hesitancy in the box after a Yohan Cabaye shot and Mark Schwarzer mistake to slide home from close range. Just over 15 minutes later he doubled his tally for the day and his side's advantage, taking a good ball from Demba Ba and sliding it past Schwarzer with two defenders closing him down.

Jol quickly re-arranged things by bringing on Andrew Johnson, but it wasn't until the closing stages that he saw his side get back into the contest. And it was Dempsey with the goal, the United States international heading home from Danny Murphy's free-kick to ensure a nervy final few minutes at St James' Park.

At The Hawthorns, Stoke City snatched all three points in the closing stages against West Brom as substitute Ryan Shotton's gave them a 1-0 win.

There appeared little danger when Jonathan Walters pumped a harmless ball into the box with only a minute remaining of normal time, but Baggies goalkeeper Foster and defender Gabriel Tamas allowed Shotton to nip in and score.