Wigan Athletic 0 Manchester City 1:Edin Dzeko's first-half header was enough to see Manchester City overcome basement boys Wigan to go three points clear at the top of the Premier League. It ended an 11-match goal drought for the Bosnian, who took his tally for the season to 14.
City made hard work of it after that, though, with Dzeko costing Sergio Aguero a clear chance to double the lead after half-time.
David Silva returned to the City starting line-up but stand-in skipper Micah Richards and striker Mario Balotelli were missing for Roberto Mancini’s. With Vincent Kompany suspended and both Yaya and Kolo Toure on African Nations Cup duty, the loss of Richards with a hamstring problem and Balotelli to an ankle knock were further blows to a Blues side that has lost its last two games and won just one of its last five.
They were heavily fancied to win tonight though, against a Latics outfit that has slumped to the foot of the Premier League and has lost Mohamed Diame to the African Nations Cup, although Gary Caldwell was back from suspension and Victor Moses was back in favour.
City applied some pressure in the opening few seconds, although it was Wigan who had the first flurry of opportunities, the last of which, from James McArthur, struck James Milner and rolled out for a corner. James McCarthy robbed Silva with a thunderous challenge, but City should have gone in front when Gael Clichy curled over a cross from the left which Edin Dzeko turned wide when he might well have found the net.
Silva then had two shots from the edge of the area blocked before Ali Al Habsi made a feet-first save to deny Sergio Aguero, although the South American was offside anyway.
Having lasted so long, Wigan boss Roberto Martinez would have been disappointed in the manner which City went in front. Antolin Alcaraz brought Dzeko down and, direct from Silva’s free-kick, the Bosnian leapt highest and found the bottom corner with a precise header.
Nasri led another forward charge for the visitors and Albert Crusat needed to make a well-timed intervention to deny Zabaleta. Some awful Wigan defending inside their own penalty area led to another chance for Silva, which was blocked.
Far too often, the hosts’ attempt to pass their way towards the City goal led to them losing ground and then possession anyway. Under the circumstances, calls for a more direct approach were understandable as were the jeers when a long free-kick floated straight through to Hart.
Barry needed to slide in on Crusat to prevent the winger getting a clear sight of goal after the break, then Clichy headed clear as Rodallega waited to pounce on any mistake.
Al Habsi produced a brilliant double save, first to deny Dzeko, whose curling effort was heading towards the top corner, then, Silva, whose close-range effort was also going in. Then, after he had weaved his way past three Wigan defenders to get himself a clear sight of the Wigan goal from only six yards, Aguero had the ball taken off his toes by Dzeko, whose shot was too weak to trouble Al Habsi.
After McArthur had been booked for pulling back Dzeko, Caldwell was fortunate that he didn’t turn Clichy’s cross into his own net as the ball seemed to get tangled in between his legs before running behind for a corner.
Wigan came close to levelling when Rodallega rolled a pass to McCarthy, who forced Hart into an excellent save with his legs. Nigel de Jong replaced Nasri 17 minutes from time, then Hart made a save he did not need to as he turned McCarthy’s shot round for a corner.
Al Habsi then produced a fine save to deny Dzeko before Aguero fired wide after finding himself in space on the edge of the area.
After recent controversies, Mancini was left fuming two minutes from time when referee Martin Atkinson failed to send off Maynor Figueroa for a deliberate handball when he deliberately stopped a De Jong through-ball that would have sent Aguero clean though.
