BENNI McCarthy maintained Blackburn’s bright start to the season with his first Barclays Premier League goal of the campaign.
The South African’s strike was enough to give Mark Hughes’ side the edge against City in a rousing encounter.
Both sides finished with 10 men. Blackburn midfielder Tugay was sent off, as was City skipper Richard Dunne.
Not that it was a dirty game - far from it - just hugely competitive at rain-lashed Ewood Park.
While Rovers extended their unbeaten run to 14 matches stretching back to last season, City have lost two in succession in the league with out scoring.
Breakthrough
McCarthy made the breakthrough in the 13th minute when David Bentley swung in a corner from the left that was met by Christopher Samba at the far post.
He picked out Roque Santa Cruz, only for Kasper Schmeichel to parry his header straight into the path of McCarthy, who scored from close range.
It was the South African striker’s first league goal of the season to add to his two in the Intertoto Cup. He scored 24 in all competitions last term.
Blackburn almost extended their lead when David Dunn got on the end of a Bentley free-kick only to head over the bar.
Then Stephen Warnock found Santa Cruz at the back post but Schmeichel got a good hand to the ball.
Blackburn were dominating the game and Bentley was showing why he had been called up into the England squad.
City supporters had something to cheer when Emile Mpenza won a free-kick off Brett Emerton. Elano, though, sent his effort into the wall.
Blackburn almost added a second in first-half stoppage-time when Bentley picked out Morten Gamst Pedersen but the Norwegian’s effort was blocked by the goalkeeper.
Santa Cruz then got on the end of a through ball from McCarthy in the 50th minute.
It seemed a clear chance but the Paraguay international got the ball stuck under his feet, much to City’s relief.
The visitors hit back and won a free-kick 20 yards out in the 53rd minute. Brazilian midfielder Elano took it, only to send his effort narrowly wide of the post.
Blackburn were reduced to 10 men in the 55th minute when Tugay was sent off after picking up two yellow cards in two minutes.
The Turkish playmaker was dismissed for challenges on Mpenza and Dietmar Hamann.
Defender
City immediately raised the tempo and Blackburn boss Hughes took action by drafting in defender Andre Ooijer after 63 minutes for McCarthy.
However, Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side went down to 10 men in the 65th minute when skipper Dunne was sent off after a lunge on Santa Cruz.
Samba should have at least hit the target two minutes later after Pedersen swung in a corner but sent a free header high over the bar.
It was clear chance, with little to choose between the teams. Blackburn were carving out the better chances and Emerton raced away in the 72nd minute but Schmeichel parried the ball to safety.
Two minutes later, Emerton delivered a good ball into the area and found Pedersen.
However, he tried to be too elaborate and sent a weak lob from close range into the arms of the goalkeeper.
Hughes sent on Matt Derbyshire for Santa Cruz with four minutes remaining. While he was unable to extend their lead, the Blackburn supporters went home happy after another positive display from the team.
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Harry Dumb, manchester (02/09/2007 at 17:06)
too ,and now United are only a point behind.
Its not good enough!!!!!
The Goat's Big Toe (02/09/2007 at 17:09)
We can play some lovely measured football but, if the opposition are breathing down our necks, our shape goes and so does any threat we have.
As Captain Mannering would say "They don't like it up 'em"
I'm sure Sven will sort it - we'll do Villa at home no problem.
Reidus, Sheffield (02/09/2007 at 17:15)
cleggy a-u-l, ashton-under-lyne (02/09/2007 at 17:17)
bluefield, chesterfield (02/09/2007 at 17:17)
the mole, a dark place (02/09/2007 at 17:19)
fatbloke (02/09/2007 at 17:21)
Pablo1, SW14 (formerly Burnage & Stockport) (02/09/2007 at 17:21)
Edski Vega, Nottingham (02/09/2007 at 17:28)
Another 1-0 defeat (deja vue of last season). Negative tactics again. Blackburn has 8 shots inside the area we had just ONE! The rest of our few shots were 40 yards from goal - against one of the all time best Shot Stoppers in the premiership this was poor!
It was only this morning that I was watching an ESPN video about Man Cty and it spoke highly of Petrov and Richards etc but was categorical that Elano was not cut out for the Premiership
I am prepared to give him time as I still feel we will finish about 8th/9th this season..... we have to do better away from home and create more chances. In all the games we have played this season we have failed to muster more than 6 shots in each match.
99.9% certain of new signings?
Three players that should have been released are sent out on loan? Mills, Dickov, Corradi.
Another season in which Blackburn WILL do the double over us....
Lets look on the brightside, the players should be much more of a unit in 3 games time!
teapot lid (02/09/2007 at 17:29)
Ayub Khan (02/09/2007 at 17:30)
Pasta and Swedes (02/09/2007 at 17:32)
However, look at the 5 teams we have played and 9 points is good. Two 1 Nil defeats against Arsenal away and Blackburn away are not the end of the world. Those two teams will beat better sides than City on their own patch this season..Look at the next 5 games and we should get at least 10 points from them, and I am sure we will....Any fan on here who would not be happy to have 19 points from 10 games is living on another planet.
Things are still very positive. The thing that worries me is all the negative fans will now be on here talking nonsense about the 'Honeymoon' being over. Let's seew aht you have to say in 5 games time when we are the top 5 or 6 and going steady.
tommybates, Manchester (02/09/2007 at 17:33)
this powder puff selection will be eaten alive by most teams in the Premiership. Sven must learn from this or it will be a long winter.
We now have so called play makers, but our passing is poor lacks penatration and creates few chances.
Prestwich Blue (02/09/2007 at 17:35)
maddogblue, Cheadle (02/09/2007 at 17:35)
OB1, Transmancunia (02/09/2007 at 17:41)
Not sure about Dunne's bookings – even with benefit of replays on Net – Dunne's arm did come out on second booking but I think Santa Cruz may have been brought down by an accidental tangle of legs. Whether retaining a man advantage would have made a difference I am not too sure though: City did not even threaten from set pieces whilst their defending against them was generally poor.
Hopefully City's new boys will have learnt a few useful lessons from today's match but City have now lost two consecutive league games (albeit one - nil away from home), which is something that good teams rarely do. It remains early days and Sven and his coaches have, and were always going to have, plenty of work to do on the training ground. New players to the EPL are not all going to bed in instantly and I hope the reaction to the defeat from supporters will not be hysterical doom and gloom overreaction. At least Sven demonstrated that he is prepared to make changes early on in a game and I thought switching Micah to right back in the later stages was a good idea.
cleggy a-u-l, ashton-under-lyne (02/09/2007 at 17:43)
cleggy a-u-l, ashton-under-lyne (02/09/2007 at 17:50)
Weasel (not McKay), Stockport (02/09/2007 at 17:56)
The only surprise was we were only beaten by 1!
Joe Strummer's Cat, Blue Heaven (02/09/2007 at 17:57)
The bottom line here is that Blackburn are a good, well organised outfit whose game-plan was simply to stop our midfield playing. The team then lack any idea of how to overcome it. I think the curse of last season will remain with us at least until January, i can't see Messrs Mpenza or Bianchi getting many. Just hope they prove me wrong.
All that said, Blackburn are a decent team and will give better teams a good thumping this season. Lets not get too down, I'm sure Sven will get em sorted for the Villa game.
Phil, Sacramento, CA U.S.A. (02/09/2007 at 17:59)
steve (02/09/2007 at 18:01)
benford (02/09/2007 at 18:03)
I think we're missing someone in midfield like, dare I say it, someone like JB.
I'm disheartened that we've lost two games on the bounce, but thinking back to before the season started, with the start we've had (the champions, another top four team, and a team which qualified for the UEFA Cup all in our first five games) I'm still more than happy that we've taken nine points from our opening five games.
CITY TIL I DIE.
Joe McAndrew (02/09/2007 at 18:03)
We still look no more creative than when pearce was there and to be honest on today's performance Petrov at 4.5 Million makes Samaras at 5.5 Million look like a bargain!
On the plus side Corluka looks solid and when he starts Geovanni seems interested.
The stats from today's match are marked and tell a story of Petrov and Elano. Neither of them won a tackle! This is really worrying as for the majority of the game they were 50% of our midfield. Ask yourself what chance have you got of scoring if you can't win the ball?
DUBLIN BLUE (02/09/2007 at 18:03)