Man City 3-2 Preston

Steve Howey fires home City's second goal

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Kevin Keegan's Manchester City got back to winning ways as they beat Preston and moved three points clear at the top of Division One.

City had gone behind to a Jonathan Macken goal but Shaun Wright-Phillips equalised within 90 seconds.

Steve Howey and Paulo Wanchope helped a superior City to 3-1 lead before Iain Anderson's late Preston goal set up a tense finale.

But the Maine Road outfit held on to erase the memory of the loss to Wimbledon in their previous match.

Howey slides under a challenge from Healy

In an explosive start to the game Preston should have led as early as the third minute.

Lee Cartwright's flick header put Richard Cresswell clean through but City keeper Nicky Weaver parried the striker's weak eight-yard effort.

Initially, City and Wanchope were struggling while former City man Dickson Etuhu was enjoying a fine return to Maine Road after his recent £300,000 move.

There were no goals in the first half but Wanchope did come close.

Tense finale

He mesmerised Preston with a drag back only for his low shot to be saved at full-stretch by keeper Teuvo Moilanen.

It took only 90 seconds of the second period for the game's opening goal.

Rob Edwards robbed Wright-Phillips and released Macken who raced clear and finished in style low past Weaver from 10 yards.

Wright-Phillips atoned for his error when he volleyed home from eight yards.

Wanchope fires home for City's crucial third

In the 56th minute the Blues went ahead through Howey as the visitors again failed to clear their lines from a City corner.

Moilanen failed to gather Ali Benarbia's kick and slotted home from barely four yards into an empty net.

City were now finding time and space at will and after several more near misses it came as no surprise when Wanchope extended their lead in the 74th minute.

The rangy striker latched onto Eyal Berkovic's through-ball and his fiercely-struck right-foot drive from 12 yards gave Moilanen no chance as it flew in off the underside of the bar.

Substitute Anderson's deft chip gave Preston late hope but City deserved their win.

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Man City: Weaver, Dunne, Howey, Pearce, Jensen, Berkovic, Horlock, Benarbia, Wanchope, Wright-Phillips, Huckerby. Subs: Nash, Ritchie, Tiatto, Dickov, Wiekens.

Preston: Moilanen, Alexander, Gregan, Lucketti, Edwards, Cartwright, Etuhu, Keane, Healy, Macken, Cresswell. Subs: Lucas, Gudjonsson, Anderson, Skora, Eaton.

Referee: A Bates (Stoke on Trent)