Battling Man City reclaim 2nd

(MENAFN- Arab Times) MANCHESTER April 25 (AFP): Fernandinho claimed a dramatic 89th-minute winning goal for Manchester City to secure a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday a result which could have major ramifications at both ends of the Premier League. It was the second goal in four minutes at Eastlands after Carlos Sanchez appeared to have earned FA Cup finalists Villa a priceless point when he was on hand to skilfully hook the ball into the goal from 12 yards after City goalkeeper Joe Hart had failed to deal with a Charles N'Zogbia corner. But with normal time running out Aleksandar Kolarov's left-wing corner passed through a crowded Villa area and reached the unmarked Fernandinho who took a controlling touch before scoring with an acrobatic half-volley.

Sergio Aguero with his 21st league goal of the season and Kolarov had previously been on target for Manuel Pellegrini's side although after Tom Cleverley had pulled a goal back for Villa the visitors looked well capable of escaping with at least a point. Victory saw reigning champions City climb into second place nine points behind Chelsea but having played two games more than Jose Mourinho's leaders. City were gifted the lead in the third minute following an extraordinary error by the United States goalkeeper Brad Guzan who panicked in receiving a back-pass from Ron Vlaar as the home side pressed high up the field.

Guzan succeeded only in mis-hitting a square pass across the face of goal directly to Aguero who was left with the routine task of tapping the ball into an open goal from six yards. It was hardly a start in keeping with the recent form shown by Villa under manager Tim Sherwood that has left them with a genuine chance of avoiding relegation along with a place in the FA Cup final following last week's semifinal victory over Liverpool. Guzan who has surrendered his starting place to veteran deputy Shay Given in the FA Cup then flapped embarrassingly at a Kolarov freekick in the 16th minute with Fernando heading just wide of a gaping goal.

City playing with a confidence that has been lacking for much of the year to date also threatened with Yaya Toure volleying just wide from the edge of the area and Guzan smothering an Aguero shot. But Villa responded impressively to a nervy start with Christian Benteke heading over from a Jack Grealish cross and the Belgium striker then being denied by the legs of Joe Hart after latching onto Vlaar's deflected shot. Toure whose future at the Etihad has been the subject of much speculation during a disappointing title defence was replaced at half-time apparently because of injury and Frank Lampard exited early in the second half as Pellegrini attempted to gain control of midfield.

It scarcely worked although Aguero had strong claims for a penalty turned down and had Fabian Delph's 18-yard snapshot been a foot to the left after 55 minutes Villa might have had an equaliser. Finally after 65 minutes Villa's discipline wavered with Carlos Sanchez upending Fernandinho earning a caution in the process and presenting Kolarov with a free-kick 22 yards from goal. The City left-back curled a brilliant shot through a gap in the wall left by Leandro Bacuna and Kieran Richardson and past Guzan's desperate dive. Villa's response was swift and impressive however as they reduced arrears from a Grealish free-kick just two minutes later.

Eliaquim Mangala and goalkeeper Hart failed to communicate properly with the defender heading to the edge of his area where after Fernando and Milner failed to clear Cleverley was on hand to lash an 18-yard shot into the goal. In the frantic finale Villa seemed about to claim a winner with the game tied as N'Zogbia and Christian Benteke broke upfield but the latter was flagged for offside with only Hart to beat a decision that proved all the more significant given Fernandinho's winner followed within seconds. WBA0 Liverpool 0 In Bromwich Liverpool's remote chance of staying in the hunt for Champions League qualification suffered a setback after a 0-0 draw at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday dented their hopes of a top-four finish. Stalemate at the Hawthorns left Liverpool six points adrift of Manchester City who could be nine points clear were they to beat Aston Villa in Saturday's late kick-off.

Liverpool were looking to bounce back from the disappointment of their FA Cup semi-final defeat by Villa but they squandered the chances to celebrate Steven Gerrard's 500th Premier League appearance with a much-needed victory. Though Gerrard himself went close to marking the occasion with a trademark free-kick in the first half Liverpool failed to beat a West Brom side that had lost their previous two home matches to sides deep in relegation trouble. Liverpool's Jordon Ibe rattled the bar with one effort midway through the second half while Albion goalkeeper Boaz Myhill denied Mario Balotelli and Philippe Coutinho with a double save. Albion created the first threat from a Chris Brunt free-kick as Craig Dawson's astute header picked out Craig Gardner on the edge of the Liverpool box.

Gardner couldn't however reproduce his spectacular strike at Crystal Palace a week earlier scuffing his attempt at goal although Victor Anichebe tried in vain to get a touch to it. Balotelli was instrumental in carving out an opportunity for himself by picking Claudio Yacob's pocket but after collecting a return pass from Raheem Sterling his shot was charged down by Gareth McAuley. The visitors were looking the more menacing of the two sides and some neat inter-play between Sterling and Jordan Henderson led to a free kick on the edge of the box as the backtracking Saido Berahino was penalised for upending Balotelli. It was a perfect opportunity for Gerrard to mark his landmark appearance in style but although Myhill could do nothing about his curling effort the Albion keeper was relieved to watch it flash inches wide of his right hand upright.