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Manchester City logo
League Cup | Round Three
Sep 24, 2013 at 7.45pm UK
 
Wigan logo

5-0

Dzeko (31'), Jovetic (60', 83'), Toure (75'), Navas (86')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Live Commentary: Manchester City 5-0 Wigan Athletic - as it happened

Live coverage of the third-round Capital One Cup tie between Manchester City and Wigan Athletic.
2

Stevan Jovetic scored a brace on his home debut as Manchester City beat Wigan Athletic 5-0 in the Capital One Cup this evening.

Edin Dzeko broke the deadlock in the first half, before Jovetic, Yaya Toure and Jesus Navas all added to the score after the break.

The visitors struggled the challenge Manuel Pellegrini's men, failing register a shot on target all game.

Read how all the action unfolded below:


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Good evening! It's just under an hour until kickoff at the Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City will be looking to avenge May's FA Cup final defeat to Wigan Athletic. The home side have just announced their team for tonight's match. Let's take a look...

MANCHESTER CITY STARTING XI: Pantilimon, Richards, Boyata, Lescott, Clichy, Milner, Fernandinho, Garcia, Lopes, Dzeko, Jovetic

So that's 10 changes to the side that started against Manchester United on Sunday, with Fernandinho the only remaining starter from the Manchester derby.

WIGAN ATHLETIC STARTING XI: Nicholls, Boyce, Rogne, Barnett, Crainey, McCann, Espinoza, Gomez, Fyvie, Garcia, Dicko

WIGAN ATHLETIC SUBSTITUTES: Carson, Shotton, McClean, McArthur, Powell, Redmond, Buxton

Emmerson Boyce, Roger Espinoza and Jordi Gomez were all part of the starting XI for Wigan's FA Cup victory earlier this year. However, Ben Watson, who scored the winning goal at Wembley, misses out on a place in the squad.

Manuel Pellegrini's men come into this fixture in strong form, having won three of their last four matches in all competitions, including the 4-1 win in the Manchester derby at the weekend. Their recent run has left them second in the Premier League table.

Wigan had a tricky start to the Championship season, but the club has seen it's results improve in recent weeks, losing just one of their last four matches, including a draw in the Europe League last Thursday.

MANCHESTER CITY SUBSTITUTES: Wright, Nastasic, Toure, Navas, Nasri, Negredo, Kolarov

Defender Micah Richards makes his first appearance for Man City this season, having recovered from a hamstring injury. Ahead of this evening's match, he told the team's website: "Wigan have always played us well and have been a bit of a bogey team, but I would never say the guys weren't up for it because we always want to win, but I just felt they wanted it more [in the FA Cup final]. That game is in the past now but we have to make sure we put things right in this game and try and progress in the competition."

In his pre-match press conference, Wigan manager Owen Coyle said: "Any game I enter in to I want to win but we're playing against an elite club, not only in English football but in European football, one of the favourites for the Champions League, never mind the Premier League, and we're asked to go there after one day's rest and try and win that cup tie. If you were going to equate it to poker we've not been dealt a great hand. But that's been dictated by TV and we're not exactly thrilled about it, but we need to get on with it."

The teams are both on the pitch undertaking their warm-ups at the moment. Here's a shot of the Wigan team making their way out of the tunnel from the Manchester City Twitter feed



During Wigan's last eight clashes with City, they have won just once, in the FA Cup final. The Manchester side won the other seven games without conceding a single goal.

During Wigan's last eight clashes with City, they have won just once, in the FA Cup final. The Manchester side won the other seven games without conceding a single goal.

Tonight's hosts have previously won this tournament twice, with their last victory coming back in 1976. Wigan reached the final in 2006, but lost 4-0 to Manchester United in the final.

WEATHER UPDATE: It's perfect football weather at the Etihad Stadium this evening. It's currently around 15C with no chance of rain and just a slight breeze.

Samir Nasri and Jesus Navas start on the bench for the home side tonight, but the duo are still preparing during the warm-up.



PREDICTION! With just under 10 minutes until kickoff, let's make a quick prediction. Wigan have lost several key players since they last faced Manchester City, while Manuel Pellegrini has helped rejuvenate the hosts during the summer. The home side should be able to secure a comfortable win this evening. I'm going to predict a 3-0 victory for City.

You can also follow live text commentary from Swindon's Capital One Cup game against Chelsea with Sports Mole this evening. We'll also have match reports from all of tonight's fixtures.

The players are heading out ready for the start of tonight's game.

The hosts get the first half underway.

The visitors start positively, with Jordi Gomez looking to apply pressure inside the hosts' half, but he's brought down by Marcos Lopes. A couple of early chances would really help the Latics settle any nerves that might be lingering.

It looks like the home side have identified Gomez as the dangerman for Wigan, and they're making sure he's not allowed to settle in the opening, as Dzeko gives away another free kick for fouling the Wigan midfielder. He tries to drill the ball into the box, where he has teammates waiting, but City go on the counter attack, with Boyata and Dzeko looking to get in the mix, but Barnett manages to clear the ball from the edge of the box.

CHANCE! Boyata forces an impressive double save from Nicholls. His initial header is parried away by the Wigan keeper, but he gets a second chance, but this time Nicholls is able to push the ball over.

CHANCE! Manchester City have really started to find their feet inside the last five minutes, and come close to opening the scoring again when Jovetic attempts a powerful effort from the edge of the box, but it finishes just wide of the post.

CHANCE! McCann spots Pantimilion off his line, so tries to lob the ball in from the half-way line. It wasn't a bad effort from that range, and would have been spectacular had it gone it, but it was just wide.

CHANCE! Milner sends in a superb cross, which is initially cleared by Rogne, but only as far as Boyata, who has his third headed attempt of the night, but this time he fails to trouble Nicholls, as the ball goes high of the crossbar.

This has been an impressive, high-paced start by both sides, particularly when you consider that they both had European games last week, and played league fixtures just two days ago. Both team's a really chasing an early goal, and the play is wide open.

CHANCE! Any doubts over Richards' match fitness have been put to bed in this opening period. The defender was part of the move that resulted in Boyata's earlier header, and he now has a chance himself, but puts it just wide.

CHANCE! Dzeko has what is probably the best chance of the match so far to break the deadlock, as Milner delivers the ball into the penalty area for the Bosnian striker, but his header creeps inches wide.

CHANCE! Man City are completed in control at the moment, it feels like an opening goal is imminent, but Pellegrini's men will have to wait a little longer. Lopes crosses the ball in for Milner, who has been busy so far this evening, but he can't guide his header past Nicholls.

Gomez is brought down by Fernandinho just outside the penalty area. The Spaniard takes the free kick himself, and goes directly for the target, but it goes over the bar.

OFF THE BAR! Lopes smashes the ball past Nicholls, only to see his effort bounce back of the crossbar. Dzeko is there for the rebound, but Nicholls quickly gets back on his feet to make a superb stop.

Nicholls has been really impressive between the posts so far this evening. He's had to make a couple of brilliant saves so far tonight, and has forced another couple of chances off target.

GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Wigan Athletic (Dzeko)

Nicholls has kept out some good efforts tonight, but their was little he could do about that thundering effort from Edin Dzeko. Fernandinho picks up the ball around 20 yards out, and calmly slices it forward to Dzeko, who smashes it through a cap in the middle of the Wigan defence to give the home side the lead.

Wigan have rallied well since going a goal down, quickly getting the ball down the other end of the pitch with some good running by Emmerson Boyce, before Gomez wins a free kick.

CHANCE! Milner wins the ball back for the home side and sets up Jovetic, whose left-footed strike goes just wide.

Wigan are just started to send in a few slightly physical challenges, as Leon Barnett and Jordi Gomez commit fouls in the space of two minutes. Dzeko is left on the turf following Barnett's foul, but eventually seems to shake it off.

BOOKING! Barnett is shown a yellow card for his foul on the goalscorer.

CHANCE! Espinoza fires in a dangerous looking cross, which is initially cleared from Lescott, but McCann rushes in the hit it on the half-volley, but just gets too much under the ball, forcing it high.

Pantimilion gets his goal kick straight to Milner, who has a go on his left foot from just outside the box, but it's blocked by McCann. The midfielder picks it up again, this time crossing to Jovetic, but the striker can't find a way past the Wigan back four.

HALF TIME: Manchester City 1-0 Wigan Athletic

Edin Dzeko's 33rd minute strike separates the teams at the break. Manchester City were by far the stronger of the two sides in the opening 45 minutes, but some impressive saves from Lee Nicholls has kept the FA Cup holders in the contest at the break.

Let's have a look at some of the stats from the first half. The home side had the majority of the possession with 67%. City had 12 shots, with four on target, compared to just three efforts for the visitors, who failed to trouble Pantimilion.

Here's Edin Dzeko celebrating giving Manchester City the lead. The Bosnian now has seven goals so far this season.

Man City's Edin Dzeko celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Wigan during their League Cup match on September 24, 2013© Getty Images


Dedryck Boyata, who is making his first appearance of the season for the hosts, has also made a bright start to the evening. He saw two quick-fire headers stopped by Nicholls early on, before just putting a third effort over.

Both sides have, unsurprisingly, got their substitutes taking part in a warm-up during the break. Man City will probably want another goal before they think about taking players off for a break. Wigan will play their fourth game in nine days on Saturday, so may also be keen to rest some of their regulars.

SUB! Yaya Toure is coming off the bench for the hosts, replacing Fernandinho, who got the assist for Dzeko's goal.

The second half gets underway.

City win a quick corner as Fyvie is forced to put a Clichy ball into the box behind. Richards tries to convert the corner, but he scuffs his shot, putting it behind for a Wigan goal kick.

Milner bursts into the box from midfield before trying to pull the ball back for Lopes, who was waiting at the near post, but Barnett blocks the cross, putting it behind for another corner. Wigan are under pressure at the start of this second half.

CHANCE! Lopes gets the ball from the corner. The effort is blocked, before Nicholls eventually manages to gather. Man City are clearly looking to double their lead as soon as possible.

Wigan give away a couple of clumsy fouls they struggle to contain their hosts. McCann brings down Toure, before Jovetic gets on the wrong side of a bad tackle from Barnett. The Latics defender will have to be careful, as he's already been booked this evening.

CHANCE! Dzeko looks for his second, trying to drill it in from 30 yards out. In the end it's another good stop by Nicholls, before Crainey knocks the rebound from Milner out for a corner.

Nicholls almost gifts City a second, as he comes off his line to punch the ball away, but mid-reads Milner's corner, allowing Toure a free header, which is just off target.

SUB! On loan defender Ryan Shotton comes on in place of Leon Barnett, who has already been shown a yellow card.

GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Wigan Athletic (Jovetic)

On his home debut Stevan Jovetic has doubled the home side's lead. It's not the cleanest finish you'll ever see, as he strikes the ball straight at Nicholls, giving the ball just enough power to force the Wigan keeper to spill it over the line.

The second goal appears to have broken Wigan, they had put up some strong resistance until Jovetic's striker, but the hosts are being allowed to dictate the play now. The new signing tries to set up Dzeko, but the striker can't control the pass, allowing Espinoza to make the clearance.

Milner draws a foul from Crainey while looking to make a cross to Dzeko. The midfielder whips the ball into the box from the free kick, but Crainey is able to clear it for Wigan.

SUB! Daniel Redmond, who is the son of former Man City captain Steve Redmond, comes on for Wigan, replacing Stephen Crainey.

CHANCE! Jovetic wins the ball on the edge of the box, but rather than looking for Toure, who was in space to his right, the scorer of City's second goal tries to add his second of the match, but drilled his attempt straight to Nicholls, who comfortably claimed the ball.

SUB! Teenager striker Macros Lopes makes way for Jesus Navas.

Espinoza applies some pressure for Wigan, who make a rare second-half trip into the City half. Redmond is unmarked on the far post, but Lescott manages to blocked Espinoza's attempted cross.

BOOKING! Fraser Fyvie picks up just the second yellow card of the evening for a rash challenge on Jovetic. The foul also gives City a free kick from a dangerous position.

GOAL! Manchester City 3-0 Wigan Athletic (Toure)

Yaya Toure has scored some superb goals from free kicks already this season, and there's another. The Ivorian coolly lifts the ball above the wall, before the ball dips at the last second, completely deceiving Nicholls to sneak into the top corner. That should be enough to seal City's place in the next round.

SUB! The scorer of the opening goal, Edin Dzeko, comes off, with Alvaro Negredo taking his place for the final 12 minutes.

SUB! Nick Powell, who is on loan from Manchester United, replaces Nouha Dicko.

The home side are just happy to keep the ball and run down the clock now, as Clichy passes it back to Pantimilion, who has really had very little to do between the posts for City this evening.

GOAL! Manchester City 4-0 Wigan Athletic (Jovetic)

Milner, who has been vital for City this evening, puts in another superb run before finding Jovetic with a well-timed cross. The striker's first touch isn't great, but Shotton fails to clear, giving Jovetic time and space to whip in his second and the hosts' fourth of the night.

GOAL! Manchester City 5-0 Wigan Athletic (Navas)

Wigan have just crumbled in the last 10 minutes, allowing Jesus Navas, who has only been on the pitch for the last quarter of an hour, to add the home side's fifth. It was a superb solo effort as he played his way into the box with superb pace and footwork before lashing the ball in from out wide.

Negredo rushes into the box before looking for to cross to Navas, but Shotton manages to force the striker to put the ball behind for a Wigan goal kick.

Wigan will probably be quite happy to see the fourth official announce just two minutes of added time.

Gomez pushes for a late consolation for the visitors, but he comes under pressure from Clichy, eventually giving away a free kick for a hand ball.

FULL TIME: Manchester City 5-0 Wigan Athletic

What an impressive performance by Manchester City. Manuel Pellegrini's side cruise into the fourth round with a clinical and emphatic victory over the FA Cup holder Wigan Athletic.

Wigan defended well in the first half, but they couldn't cause enough problems at the back for City, failing to register a simple shot in the second half.

City fans will no doubt be delighted to see £22m summer signing Stevan Jovetic net twice on his home debut for the club. With Toure, Navas and Dzeko also among the goal, it's quite a message for those face the side in the coming weeks.

That's all from the Etihad Stadium this evening, but stick around for reports and reaction to all of tonight's Capital One Cup games, and join us again tomorrow evening for the remainder of the round three clashes, including Liverpool against Manchester United. Until then, thanks for joining me this evening, goodbye.

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