Manuel Pellegrini's smile didn’t last, much like Manchester City’s brief period on top of the Barclays Premier League on New Year's Day, but you sense both will be back soon enough.
He’s a tough man to please, this Chilean with the deep frown lines and the low voice. But as he sat in front of the press after this game, there was the briefest of grins, a recognition of sorts that things are starting to click in the Sheik’s playground.
Wins at Swansea are not to be sniffed at and City of all teams know that, having failed in their past two attempts. But they also know better than any of the title contenders that wins anywhere on the road are what make the real difference.
TUNAOMBA BOFYA HAPA NA ULIKE PAGE YETU KWA HABARI NYINGI ZA KILA SIKU,(USIPITWEEEEEEEE)
Bottom corner: Yaya Toure put Manchester City 2-1 up with a fierce low drive at the Liberty Stadium
Unstoppable: The goalkeeper looks on in shock as the ball rifles into the net
Embraced: City, and Toure, can't stop scoring at the moment in the Premier League
Sealed it: Left-back Aleksandar Kolorov notched the third as the away side comfortably saw off Swansea's challenge
Leveller: Wilfried Bony heads in a surprise equaliser right on half-time for the hosts
High five: The Ivorian celebrates his strike with team-mate Roland Lamah (left)
Controversial: But was he offside?
Rainy day: On a glum New Year's Day, Bony produced a moment of magic in the last few minutes from long range
SPORTSMAIL'S SUPER STAT
Manchester City have won five in a row for the first time since their run of six culminated in the title in 2011-12.
And how they can thank Yaya Toure for that. There is plenty of guile in Pellegrini’s team, a blitz of creative riches and soft touches - even with David Silva suspended - but then there is Toure, who has a lot of everything.
He was the best player on the pitch here, predominantly stationed in Swansea’s half but drifting deep and doing the dirty work as well.
It was strangely fitting that his goal – City’s second – was probably the grubbiest of the lot in terms of finish, but the sweetest in its creation.
Thump: Fernandinho scored the first goal in 2014, suitably after 14 minutes
Opener: City looked well on their way to victory after the Brazilian's strike
Wilfried Bony
NEW YEAR'S WISH
Man City:
To find some consistency on the road. City have now won three of their
past four away, but are still some way short of matching their home
form.
Swansea: To improve domestically now that the Europa League schedule is thinning out. They run the risk of being sucked into the relegation fight and Michael Laudrup knows it.
Swansea: To improve domestically now that the Europa League schedule is thinning out. They run the risk of being sucked into the relegation fight and Michael Laudrup knows it.
City went ahead after 13 minutes when Samir Nasri’s corner was partially cleared by Jonathan de Guzman and driven low past Gerhard Tremmel by Fernandinho.
Nice finish, but Swansea, for all the flakiness of their performances, don’t often lie down. They certainly didn’t here.
In one passing move, De Guzman, Wilfried Bony and Roland Lamah exchanged quick flicks before De Guzman went clear. He shot straight at Joe Hart.
Swansea also had a shout for a penalty rejected when Phil Dowd’s rightly ruled that Vincent Kompany could not have got his arm out of the way of an Ashley Williams shot.
That decision could have gone either way, but the next one went against City on the stroke of half-time when Bony, offside by maybe half a yard, headed De Guzman’s cross past Hart.
New partnership: Without Sergio Aguero, City's front two Edin Dzeko (left) and Alvaro Negredo (right) look to link up
Having trouble there? Swansea goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel struggled to change his kit early n, perhaps because of his gloves
Cue
the storm of Swansea attacks and driving rain. City weathered both.
Jesus Navas created the goal that turned the game, beating two men
before crossing. Tremmel punched it away, Jose Canas couldn’t quite
connect in an attempt to clear more sufficiently and up popped Toure
with a low shot that deflected off Williams.
‘It came at the right moment for us,’ Pellegrini said.
That goal, Toure’s 10th in the league this season, disappointed Laudrup but not as much as the next, shortly after the hour when Aleksandar Kolarov robbed Wayne Routledge and charged 30 yards unchallenged.
His shot deflected off Canas and that was that until Bony landed a 20-yard hay-maker in stoppage time. It was, as Laudrup admitted, ‘Bony’s best performance for Swansea’, but his wider feeling was that this defeat was partially self-inflicted.
He said: ‘You know when you play at this level that when you are in control it can turn in a few minutes.
That is what happened with Toure’s goal. And the third really hurt.’
Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool might just feel the aftershock.
‘It came at the right moment for us,’ Pellegrini said.
That goal, Toure’s 10th in the league this season, disappointed Laudrup but not as much as the next, shortly after the hour when Aleksandar Kolarov robbed Wayne Routledge and charged 30 yards unchallenged.
His shot deflected off Canas and that was that until Bony landed a 20-yard hay-maker in stoppage time. It was, as Laudrup admitted, ‘Bony’s best performance for Swansea’, but his wider feeling was that this defeat was partially self-inflicted.
He said: ‘You know when you play at this level that when you are in control it can turn in a few minutes.
That is what happened with Toure’s goal. And the third really hurt.’
Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool might just feel the aftershock.
Unhappy: Vincent Kompany reacts after a free-kick is given against his team
Aerial duel: Bony challenges Joe Hart in the box
Technique: French midfielder Samir Nasri has a go from long range at the Liberty Stadium
Well marshaled: Dzeko (abve) and Negredo (below) were dealt with well by the Swans' defence
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