Norwich 0 – 3 MAN CITY – MY THOUGHTS

Ah, that feeling of contentment from a City away day. How you’ve been missed.

This was the just the performance and result that Manuel Pellegrini would have desired. The opportunity to win comfortably and, more importantly, to play well on the road after such a deflating run over the past two months was not passed up, and although this victory came against such weak opponents, supporters will rightly cling to the positives following City’s recent vein of form.

From a personal point of view, having been present to watch the insipid displays away to Stoke, Arsenal, Leicester and Watford that filled the air with gloom, it was refreshing to be at Carrow Road to witness a City team playing as if they wanted to be out there, keen to express themselves with a smile on their faces. That sense of enjoyment has been strikingly lacking in recent times, but this was a return to a much more fluid style.

Norwich, it has to be said, were obliging opposition. They posed minimal threat to our vulnerable backline, they struggled to press with any intensity in midfield, and then allowed our attacking players too much time and space. On a better day, City would have been more ruthless.

As it is, Pellegrini will be delighted with three goals and a rare clean sheet. That the first two strikes came from the pairing of Kelechi Iheanacho and Sergio Aguero will have given him additional food for thought.

While the likes of David Silva, Fernandinho and Bacary Sagna were afforded a rest, Aguero was given some much-needed match time and looked all the sharper for it. He’s a notoriously slow starter after injury lay-offs, but he was markedly quicker and livelier than he had been at Watford or Everton. He was helped, too, by the performance of Kelechi alongside him.

The way many fans have spoken about the Nigerian this season would suggest City have unearthed the new Lionel Messi, such has been the level of praise and adulation based on a handful of brief substitute appearances and a couple of starts. It has been very English in the way he has been prematurely hyped up to be a superstar, but fans’ desire for a younger star we can call our own is understandable.

That said, partnered with Aguero on Saturday, he showed not just the quality he has on the ball, but also the natural footballing brain to match. The two of them dovetailed beautifully, offering a twin threat up front and providing City with a cutting edge that has been kept hidden from us recently. They took turns to drop deep and link play, with the other always eager to burst in behind for the ball played over the top. Their touch in tight places was impressive, their vision good and their finishing exquisite. Kelechi may just have shown why he deserves further chances to make his mark.

Further back, Fabian Delph again caught the eye, this time in a controlling, energetic midfield role. He was at the heart of everything positive, driving us forward at every opportunity. Fernando looked strong, too, quick to pick up any loose balls and protect the defence. The return of Pablo Zabaleta should not be overlooked either, and he will now provide serious competition to Bacary Sagna, one of the stars of the season so far. That healthy rivalry can only benefit us at this gruelling stage of the campaign.

This was, all in all, the perfect Saturday afternoon stroll for the Blues. A relaxing victory and plenty of positives; why can’t it always be like this…

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