Five-star City thump Hull to move out of relegation zone
Robinho scored twice on his comeback from injury
Also In The News
|
The Queen has delivered her annual Christmas message, drawing attention to the "feelings of insecurity" in Britain and the wider world. |  |
Friday, 26, Dec 2008 10:32
Manchester City moved out of the Premier League's relegation zone in emphatic style with a 5-1 win over Hull City at Eastlands.
Felipe Caicedo and Robinho both scored twice and Stephen Ireland added the fifth late on as the Tigers could only limp away with a consolation strike from Craig Fagan.
The first half was an open affair and City's flair players took full advantage, scoring at will against a Hull side that looked a shadow of the team that has fought its way into the top half of the Premier League this season.
It was end-to-end stuff, with Marlon King going close for the Tigers, before City broke the deadlock.
Robinho played in Ireland with a lobbed pass, the midfielder then cut the ball back for Caicedo who laced it past Boaz Myhill.
The Hull goalkeeper then denied Robinho with a good save but could do little about City's second goal. Again Ireland was the provider, crossing from the byline for Caicedo to score.
Ireland seemed to be everywhere in the first half and it was his tackle on George Boateng that set up City's third goal.
The Ireland international passed the ball on to Robinho who danced his way past Michael Turner and lashed a shot past Myhill.
Ten minutes before the break Shaun Wright-Phillips latched onto a through-ball on the right wing and was able to provide the cross for Robinho to make it 4-0 at the break.
During half time Hull manager Phil Brown gave his team-talk on the pitch so the visiting fans could see how he dealt with his players.
That helped the Tigers stop the gaols they had been letting in so easily during the second half, though in truth that was mostly down to City taking their foot off the gas.
Fagan grabbed a goal ten minutes from time for the Tigers only for City to restore their four-goal lead two minutes later.
Ireland capped a brilliant personal performance by getting City's fifth goal of the afternoon.
The win lifts City out of the bottom three, they are now in 15th place on 21 points. Hull dropped a place into seventh following the defeat.