Manchester City 3 West Brom 1: Champions League all-but secured as Etihad celebrates Zabaleta + Highlight

Gabriel Jesus, Kevin De Bruyne and
Yaya Toure were on target as
Manchester City beat West Brom.
Manchester City all-but secured a top-four spot in
the Premier League with a stylish 3-1 win over
West Brom as the Etihad Stadium faithful came out
to honour departing club great Pablo Zabaleta.
City announced over the weekend that Zabaleta
would end a nine-year spell in Manchester when
his contract expires at the end of this season and
Tuesday's final home match of the campaign was
soundtracked by chants paying tribute to the
Argentina international.
Manager Pep Guardiola did not stay entirely on
message, naming the right-back among the
substitutes, but a flowing first-half performance,
featuring two goals in quick succession from
Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne, headed off any
potential discontent as Sergio Aguero led the line
superbly.
Yaya Toure, another crowd favourite out of contract
next month, got on the scoresheet before Zabaleta
received a heroes' welcome and another substitute,
Hal Robson-Kanu, netted West Brom's consolation
Only defeat at Watford on the final day for third-
placed City, along with Liverpool and Arsenal
enjoying significant goal difference swings in
victory, can now stop Guardiola's men from
returning to the Champions League.
Songs in Zabaleta's honour began immediately
from kick-off as the hosts confronted a predictably
well-stocked West Brom defence.
Leroy Sane deftly nutmeged Allan Nyom and had
penalty appeals dismissed when taking a tumble
as the full-back looked to recover his ground, while
Ben Foster was at full-stretch to keep out
Aleksandar Kolarov's 30-yard free-kick.
Sane was heavily involved as City chased the
breakthrough and the Germany international should
have done better than dragging a bouncing shot
wide when Aguero played him through in the 17th
minute.
Aguero was artfully involved when City opened the
scoring – cleverly backheeling Toure's drilled pass
into De Bruyne's path and the Belgium star clipped
across goal to leave Jesus with a simple finish.
It was two goals inside two minutes before the half
hour when West Brom failed to clear their lines and
De Bruyne expertly dispatched a bouncing ball from
the edge of the box.
Aguero fired a half-volley at Foster from a similar
position six minutes from half time and Sane
crashed over, with City carving their opponents
apart at will.
The West Brom goalkeeper palmed a dangerous De
Bruyne ball out of his goalmouth early in the
second period as a Zabaleta warm-up drew roars.
Albion substitute James McClean announced
himself with an untidy challenge on Fernandinho
inside the box that escaped punishment before
another of City's long-serving stars put the result
beyond doubt in the 57th minute.
The driving runs of old are scarcely a feature for
Toure nowadays but he strode regally forward to
exchange passes with Aguero and slot in a low
finish.

It was then time for Zabaleta to arrive to fervent
acclaim that continued every time he touched the
ball.
If Zabaleta is a symbol of City's fondly remembered
recent past, Jesus is the man seen by many as
their brightest hope for the immediate future. The
20-year-old Brazilian brilliantly danced away from
three West Brom defenders and forced Foster to
push over in the 68th minute.
Club captain Vincent Kompany, who also joined
City in 2008, was replaced in the 77th minute and
handed the armband to Zabaleta with a warm
embrace, while Toure was also rapturously
applauded late on as he made way on what might
also be his curtain call.
Robson-Kanu tapped in Nyom's cross with three
minutes to play before Zabaleta was symbolically
announced as man-of-the-match at a stadium
where he will be dearly missed.