The Manchester City debuts of Patrick Vieira and Adam Johnson were overshadowed by the return to the field of Wayne Bridge, which was, in turn, upstaged by a Hull City victory that lifted them out of the relegation zone as effectively as it shunted their monied visitors from the Champions League places.
Hull’s first win in 10 league matches came courtesy of goals in either half, from Jozy Altidore and George Boateng, as Phil Brown’s charges dominated the first hour and Manchester City, not for the first time this season and to the bemusement of Roberto Mancini, performed poorly away from Eastlands.
“The pitch is the same when we play at home or away and if we want to succeed we must win away and we must fight always,” said the Manchester City manager, who was unimpressed with the treatment doled out to Bridge on his first appearance since the 2-1 victory over Chelsea at the beginning of December.
While recuperating from a knee injury, the full-back has been thrust into a media storm not of his making and it was obvious that he would be targeted. “I think that sometimes the crowd do not have respect for people and this is not good. The people in the first half had no respect for him,” said Mancini.
For the first half-hour, Bridge cut a pretty lonely figure as Hull focused on the visitors’ right flank, with Stephen Hunt and, in particular, Altidore giving Pablo Zabaleta and Dedryck Boyata a torrid time. Mancini fielded arguably his strongest side, except for Boyata, who deputised for the injured Joleon Lescott in the centre of the defence, and his inexperience showed.
But the 20-year-old was not the only one to struggle to contain Altidore. Kolo Touré was booked in the fourth minute after obstructing the burly on-loan striker. Boyata followed him into the book when he dragged the inspired American back after being skinned again. Altidore worked well with Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and the Dutchman volleyed wide from inside the area after 21 minutes and then three minutes later nodded the ball down for his compatriot Boateng, who shot just over from 20 yards.
On the half-hour, Altidore curled a right-foot shot around Shay Given and into his bottom left corner after Vennegoor of Hesselink tapped a Boateng pass back to the American on the edge of the area. It was only his second goal for the club he joined on loan from Villarreal during the summer and his first in the Premier League.
The following few minutes were tough on Bridge, who was subject to some chants from the emboldened home crowd, lost his boot and found himself marking Hull’s resident Tasmanian Dust Devil, Hunt, as the Ireland international switched wings.
On the day after his former girlfriend, Vanessa Perroncel, took a vow of Omerta, Bridge almost silenced the terrace wags with a goal in injury-time, but after playing a smart one-two with Stephen Ireland the full-back’s left-foot shot was well-saved by Boaz Myhill at his near post.
A second Hull goal was no surprise, but its sheer quality was jarring. Hunt’s corner was headed clear by Touré, only to be returned with extraordinary venom by Boateng. The ball swerved through a packed penalty area and past Given’s despairing dive. Cue the arrival of Manchester City. Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tevez had half-chances before the Togo international bundled the ball home after a cleared corner from substitute Johnson was returned to the six-yard box by Gareth Barry.
Vieira was reintroduced to English football as his team-mates celebrated and the 33-year-old Frenchman was booked for a foul on Hull midfielder Tom Cairney, one of a few players to be praised by the Hull assistant manager, Brian Horton, who was sent to face the press after vanquishing his former employers.
“It’s always nice to play well against your old club,” Horton said. “I’m not bothered about whether they could have done more. We did what we had to do today.”
Bridge was replaced by Martin Petrov in the final five minutes to another chorus of taunts. At least he has returned to the reality of his day job – however unpleasant that may be when he plays away.
Premier LeagueHull CityManchester CityMikey Staffordguardian.co.uk
