Dzeko ends goal drought to give Man City win

WIGAN – Edin Dzeko’s first goal for two months earned Manchester City a hard-fought 1-0 win at Wigan on Monday which sent Roberto Mancini’s side three points clear at top of the Premier League.

The 25-year-old Bosnian’s sublime 22nd minute header proved enough to sink the bottom club after Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi had threatened to frustrate the leaders.Al Habsi produced a string of excellent saves both before and after Dzeko had netted his 14th goal for City this season.David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Dzeko were all denied by the Oman international but City returned to winning ways to pull clear of nearest rivals Manchester United ahead of Sunday’s big home game with third-placed Tottenham.’I could have scored one or two more goals in the end, but I’m happy with the three points because it was a tough game and Wigan played very well,’ Dzeko told Sky Sports.’I’m happy to score and help my team win. In football sometimes you score and sometimes not, but I’m happy today.’Having suffered back-to-back defeats in cup competition, an away game against basement team Wigan provided City with a perfect opportunity to snap out of their winter blues.The FA Cup elimination at the hands of Manchester United as well as the League Cup first leg home defeat to Liverpool, together with captain Vincent Kompany’s four-match suspension, had resulted in a poor start to 2012 for Mancini’s expensively-assembled side.But they found relief at Wigan, whose record against the so-called big four is nothing short of diabolical.Since winning promotion to the top-flight in 2005, Wigan have lost all 14 league and cup games against Manchester United while they have now gone eight hours 15 minutes without scoring against City.Mancini was relieved to have stopped the rot.’It was about the victory not the performance tonight,’ he said.’It was really important to win tonight. We knew that was difficult because Wigan this month have played very well and Roberto Martinez is a fantastic manager.’Martinez for his part was annoyed by their first-half performance but buoyed by the spirit shown in the second period.’The manner that we finished the game is probably what pleases me most,’ said Martinez, whose side only escaped relegation on the last day of last season. – Nampa-AFP

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