City dispatch Cardiff 2-0 to go back to the top of the league

Manchester City made light work of Cardiff City on Wednesday night to return to the top of the Premier League table. Goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane were enough to ensure the reigning champions would take top spot once again with six games to go.

Many people were expecting a City masterclass and Wednesday night as they faced relegation bound Cardiff City to the Etihad Stadium. While it didn’t quite reach the levels some might have imagined in terms of number of goals scored, it was as comfortable as one could expect.

City took the lead after a scintillating opening five minutes through a Kevin De Bruyne left footed strike that whistled by Cardiff keeper Neil Etheridge’s near post. In truth, it was probably a little unfair on the Bluebirds keeper who was superb throughout the 90 minutes but De Bruyne’s cross-come shot seemed to surprise the New Zealander and if it wasn’t already, then he knew then he was in for a busy night.

The chances kept coming for City with De Bruyne looking his old self. The Belgian seemed to be in sparkling form and it’s a cause for concern for the rest of the league that he is only getting started, with six games to go.

Gabriel Jesus had a number of chances in the first half and it was his well weighted chested pass down to Leroy Sane after some nice play from Riyad Mahrez that allowed the German to rifle home the Blues second of the night. Sane looked sharp throughout and his link up play with Phil Foden throughout was beautiful watch. Foden, who was making his first ever Premier League start for City, fitted into the starting line-up perfectly and was unlucky not to find himself on the score sheet after hitting the post in the second half followed up by a great save by the right arm of Etheridge on two other occasions.

It was a night that City knew they just needed to get the job done and move on having rested a number of first team players and Guardiola’s side duly delivered in emphatic style. They don’t play another Premier League game from now until the 14th April when they travel to Crystal Palace and with six games to go in the league, the defending Champions have put themselves in a strong position ahead of the run in with Liverpool.

The Blues will now look to dust themselves off and go again in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley vs Brighton before a showdown with Tottenham in the Champions League next Tuesday at the brand new White Hart Lane.