Manchester City have moved four points clear in the race for the final Champions League place courtesy of a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion this evening.
The Baggies took an early lead at the Etihad Stadium to put City on course for a fourth home defeat in their last five league outings, but goals from Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri ensured that Manuel Pellegrini's men pulled clear of local rivals Manchester United in fifth.
The game was just five minutes old when West Brom stunned their hosts with the opening goal as Stephane Sessegnon latched on to James McClean's cross and beat Joe Hart at his near post.
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Sessegnon soon turned from hero to villain for the visitors, though, as he tripped Aleksandar Kolarov inside the penalty area with 17 minutes on the clock, causing referee Michael Jones to point to the spot.
Aguero stepped up and coolly beat Ben Foster from 12 yards to mark his 200th Premier League appearance for the club with his 18th goal of the season.
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City immediately went in search of a second goal and almost got it just two minutes after restoring parity when Eliaquim Mangala steered his header narrowly off target from Nasri's corner.
The Baggies managed to frustrate the hosts for the remainder of the first half, though, and were similarly resolute in the opening stages of the second as City struggled to find a way through.
Aguero was forced to try a long-range effort that Foster tipped around the post before Pellegrini called for Kevin De Bruyne and the fit-again Yaya Toure from the bench for the final half-hour.
It took just five more minutes for the second goal to arrive after those changes, and it came from Nasri on his first Premier League start since September as he tapped home a rebound after Aguero's initial effort had been blocked.
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The visitors responded well to going behind, though, and were inches away from levelling things up again with just over 10 minutes remaining when a fierce low ball across the area was just out of Saido Berahino's reach at the back post.
City came close to killing the game off themselves moments later, and again it was Nasri who threatened as he curled an effort narrowly wide of Foster's goal.
Kolarov also pushed for a third late on when he went on a marauding run forward and attempted to recreate his goal against Bournemouth last weekend, only to this time pick out the side-netting.
However, the hosts comfortably saw out the victory to move four points clear of Man Utd and within two of third-placed Arsenal.
Barney Corkhill
