Manchester City 5-1 Norwich: Sunday Mirror match report
Published 17:47 03/12/11 By Simon Mullock
It was fitting that after a rainbow arched over the Etihad Stadium yesterday, Samir Nasri finally struck gold.
The Frenchman at last produced the kind of performance that showed just why Manchester City flashed the cash to the tune of £24million for him in the summer.
Since starring on his debut in the White Hart Lane hammering of Tottenham back in August, Nasri's acclimatisation to life at the very top of the Premier League has been a slow and sometimes painful process.
Yesterday, his understanding with David Silva and Sergio Aguero bordered on the telepathic as City's unbeaten start to the season stretched to 14 matches.
There was also a goal for good measure - only his third in a Sky Blue shirt - that owed more to good luck than judgement.
Aguero, Yaya Toure. Mario Balotelli and Adam Johnson were also on target as Mancini's side showed plenty of patience to go with their quality against a Norwich team that once did Paul Lambert proud despite the scoreline.
Even so, Mancini was stamping his feet in fury 10 minutes from time when Steve Morison claimed a consolation for the visitors.
City won with some ease. But the fact that they haven't kept a clean sheet for seven Premier League matches will be causing the City manager some concern ahead of the Champions League date with destiny when Bayern Munich arrive in town on Wednesday night.
Norwich have won plenty of friends and points with their positive approach this season.
But Lambert decided he couldn't risk the kind of beating that City have dished out for fun this season.
The home side had almost 80 percent possession in the first half as Lambert didn't so much park the bus as anchor a yellow submarine across his 18-yard box.
Yet while asking Morison to chase down a succession on long balls may have been agricultural, it almost worked for the men from East Anglia.
Kolo Toure - given his first Premier League start of the season - allowed Morison a clear run on goal only for Joe Hart to make the Norwich striker pay for a poor first touch.
Aguero had twice gone close before finding the target brilliantly in the 32nd minute with his 13th goal of the campaign.
Anthony Pilkington couldn't halt Micah Richards' powerful burst and when his cross found the feet of Aguero with his back to goal, he tied Leon Barnett in a knot with a twist of his hips before toe-poking a predator's finish into the bottom corner.
Aguero should have scored again before a half-time break that signalled a change of policy from Lambert.
It was to provide the Norwich manager with a painful lesson, although if Elliott Bennett had not fired a decent chance over after a heavy touch to take the ball past Hart it might have been different.
On 51 minutes, Nasri got the kind of break he would have dreamed off when his free-kick into the box deceived John Ruddy an nestled in the corner.
Yaya Toure's got in on the act with a curling finish after Nari and Silva had worked a short corner.
And although Morison gave the travelling fans something to cheer with a textbook downward header from David Fox's cross that simply woke the home side up again.
Substitute Balotelli nonchalantly nudged home his 10th of the season after Ruddy had brilliantly saved his first effort in the 87th minute.
Given the rough ride the Italian has got from referees this season, it was a wonder that Howard Webb didn't book him for contempt.
And Johnson also came off the bench to score, caressing a shot into the corner from Vincent Kompany's glorious pass.
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The big issue
Who is doing the better job as a manager this season, Roberto Mancini or Paul Lambert?
It is too easy to dismiss Mancini as a manager who can't fail given the riches at his disposal, but just ask Mark Hughes how easy it is turning cold cash into Premier League points.
The Manchester City boss hasn't just taken City to the top of the table.
With apologies to Tottenham fans, Mancini has transformed the Blues into the most exciting side in the country.
Lambert's job at Carrow Road has been just as impressive after successive promotions.
The Canaries are in the top-flight on merit and although this was a harsh lesson, they will not come up against a team of this quality every week.
If it's value for money then Lambert probably edges it. But there are no complaints at the Etihad.
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Match verdict
The worrying thing for the chasing Premier League pack is that City enjoyed another goal romp without ever needing to hit top gear. Norwich did their best to frustrate but were just blown away.
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Man of the match: Samir Nasri (Man City). The Frenchman showed City's fans just what he can bring to the top table. Mark: 8.
