The honeymoon is over for City

Wigan Ath 2, Man City 1

IT has been the briefest of honeymoons for Manchester City in another amazing week for the Eastlands club.

After last Sunday’s six-goal pummelling of Portsmouth when City’s new mega-rich Abu Dhabi owners made their first public appearance, life could not have been any sweeter.

Seven days on and City have been knocked out of the Carling Cup by League One minnows Brighton and yesterday were beaten by Wigan Athletic, a team they cannot afford to lose to if they are to have aspirations of a top-four finish.

It has been back to earth with an almighty bang and, despite the protests from Mark Hughes about the controversial penalty awarded against them for the match-winning goal, City could have no arguments about the result.

The City manager was convinced it wasn’t a spot kick while Wigan’s Steve Bruce was adamant contact was made, though he conceded the tumble by Wilson Palacios was “theatrical.”

What Wigan lacked in technical wizardry, they more than compensated for by sheer endeavour as they never allowed City to get a toe hold in the game.

They battled from the first minute to the last and from front to back. I have never seen Emile Heskey work so hard and his Egyptian co-striker Amr Zaki could prove the discovery of the campaign.

Zaki, signed on an initial one-season loan from Zamalek in his home country, has already scored six goals and he eclipsed City’s Brazilian duo of Robinho and Jo who have cost a combined total of over £50million.

Wigan manager Steve Bruce said: “Zaki is different, an old English type of centre forward with a great physique and awesome power and pace as well as being a delight to manage.

“He is a handful for defenders and if he continues as he has started he will enhance the Premier League.”

The bustling, physical aspect of the match was certainly a rude awakening for Robinho - and to a lesser degree Jo- that this is what City are likely to encounter on an almost weekly basis.

Said Hughes: “Obviously teams recognise the threat that we pose as we have talented individuals in key areas of the field and teams have to work hard to stop us playing.”

And Hughes acknowledged there were failings in his side’s display, saying they lacked the craft and guile to prise open Wigan’s defence more often.

“We had loads of possession but did not ask enough questions of the opposition, and we need to be a lot better in that respect.

“More and more teams will try to get their noses in front and then get behind the ball to make it difficult for us,” he continued.

Antonio Valencia fired Wigan ahead in the 16th minute with a screamer into the top corner from 30 yards.

City were back on level terms within six minutes when Vincent Kompany turned in Elano’s free kick from inside the six-yard box.

But the decisive moment came in the 32nd minute.

Palacios was adjudged to have been controversially brought down by Javier Garrido and Zaki made no mistake from the spot.