Manchester City showed last night that there are plenty of fight still left in them when a Sergio Aguero brace helped the Citizens to a morale boosting 1-4 victory over Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium. The victory gave City their first league win at Stoke in 16 years and kept Manuel Pellegrini’s second-placed side within seven points of Chelsea.

Stoke threw everything at the Premier League champions as they looked to complete an unlikely double after beating City at the Etihad earlier in the season.

City goalkeeper Joe Hart managed to scramble a Victor Moses shot around the post for a corner which Peter Crouch met with a header that was goalbound until it struck Milner.

City lived dangerously again when Crouch then had the ball in the net but after Hart could only parry another Moses shot into his path, the former England international converted from an offside position.

Moses was stretching City at every opportunity and went close again with another fierce drive that flew just wide after Hart had blocked a Steven Nzonzi shot.

Just over half hour gone and City sprung to live with Aguero ending his goalless streak by convering his 20th of the season. Along clearance from Milner saw a determined Aguero beat Marc Muniesa to the bouncing ball. The Argentinian shot low to beat keeper Asmir Begovic and put City in front.

Stoke responded and within four minutes they were level, this time Crouching holding his run to head powerfully past Hart to claim his seventh goal of the campaign from a Marko Arnautovic cross.

Aguero had a goal ruled out in first-half stoppage time when he helped the ball over the line with his hand and was booked for his pains.

Into the second half and Silva and Nasri combined beautifully on the right before the Frenchman delivered a wonderful ball that was met by the head of Milner who planted firmly past Begovic.

City then went further ahead after 70 minutes as Silva proved too tricky for Geoff Cameron and was pulled down. Aguero clinically dispatched the spot-kick.

Nasri made victory certain six minutes later as he drove at the Stoke defence, checked inside on the edge of the area and fired a shot across goal and in at the far post to make it 1-4.

Photo: Action Images

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