Anelka and Sun shine in antidote to City's slump

Birmingham City 0 Manchester City

Three defeats in a row and four games without a goal had given an injection of realism to Kevin Keegan's high expectations for Manchester City so it was a timely moment for his side to return to familiar company.

Keegan's light blues beat the dark blues of Birmingham three times last season, including a 6-0 thrashing in the Worthington Cup, and the memory served them well yesterday as Steve Bruce's side, promoted via the play-offs, succumbed to a workmanlike performance from the First Division champions, Nicolas Anelka adding a late goal to Sun Jihai's first-half effort.

If some of the customary flamboyance was missing, it was out of necessity. Keegan made some tough decisions, dropping both Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ali Benarbia to the bench. Leaving out Benarbia was the tougher one to make, given Keegan's earlier insistence that the Algerian playmaker would be the force in the Premiership he had been in the First Division.

"It was not easy for me to leave Ali out," Keegan said. "It meant taking some invention out of the side, which is hard for me. But I'm not afraid to compromise sometimes. I still think he and Shaun will shine in the Premiership but for the moment we needed a bit more steel." Keegan, candid as ever, admitted City have found the adjustment to life at the higher level more difficult than he anticipated.

A haul of only two points from 18 before yesterday demanded a change of approach. The more combative Danny Tiatto returned to midfield after the completion of a three-match ban and Keegan also reintroduced Richard Dunne, the craggy Republic of Ireland defender, who has shed a stone in a month after Keegan effectively told him to shape up or ship out. The result was full justification.

Sun, more accustomed to playing centreback, took the place of Wright-Phillips at right wingback but it was his instinct for treading the middle ground, though, that led to the Chinese international giving City the lead after 24 minutes with his first goal for the club.

Birmingham, always lively without ever creating much, could blame only their own poor marking. Marc-Vivien Foe found Berkovic in the space on the right where Sun would have been had he kept his position. His whereabouts were known to Berkovic, however, the Israeli delivering a cross which found him also unmarked, to head past Nico Vaesen.

Aliou Cissé, the Senegal midfielder, was back in the Birmingham line-up after serving a one-match ban but, more significantly, for the first time since the ferry disaster in his native country last month that claimed almost 1,000 lives, including 11 members of his family. Supporters on the Tilton End welcomed him back by holding up coloured cards in the form of the Senegalese flag.

In the circumstances, perhaps it was to be expected that Cissé's performance lacked the impact of previous appearances. Birmingham's play in general was a little short of bite, not to mention the ability to keep possession. Carlo Nash, deputising in City's goal for flu victim Peter Schmeichel, was troubled only once during the first half by Clinton Morrison

In the second, having replaced Niclas Jensen with Kevin Horlock in midfield, City were intent on defending their slender lead. The home side responded by sending on an extra striker in Geoff Horsfield but only once threatened an equaliser, Stern John meeting Robbie Savage's cross with a firm drive only to find Nash well placed to save.

City were content to look for further opportunities on the break and, after chances were missed by Anelka, Foe and Goater, they were rewarded when Anelka made sure of the points by shooting left-footed past Vaesen after Horlock's pass had sent him clear.

Birmingham City 0 Manchester City 2
Sun Jihai 24, Anelka 87

Half-time: 0-1 Attendance: 29,316