Man City power past Coventry

Darren Huckerby beats Tim Flowers to open the scoring

Man City 4-2 Coventry

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Manchester City closed the gap on leaders Wolves to five points after an impressive 4-2 victory against six-placed Coventry.

It was City's sixth home win in a row and the 11th time this season that they had scored four or more goals this season.

Darren Huckerby set them on their way and Danny Tiatto and Shaun Wright-Phillips (2) kept the League's highest scorers on course for promotion.

No-one could handle Darren Huckerby and I'm talking about no-one, even at the top level

Man City boss Kevin Keegan

Lee Mills was on target twice for Coventry but his second came in the final minutes and City had long since wrapped up the points.

The hosts have now scored 82 times in 35 League matches and 98 times in all.

City dominated possession in the first half despite losing the influential Eyal Berkovic midway through with an injured ankle.

The maverick Israeli had already left his mark on the game, releasing Huckerby to put City ahead.

The erratic striker had already missed one good chance but this time he made no mistake, curling a first-time strike past Tim Flowers and inside the post.

Coventry were level within four minutes thanks to the first of three deflected strikes in the game, with Mills the beneficiary.

The goal came against the run of play and City deservedly went back in front after 34 minutes when Tiatto's volley took a wicked deflection off Gary Breen.

They were the best team we have faced this season

Coventry boss Roland Nilsson

There was nothing Flowers could have done to deny the Australian and he was similarly helpless when Wright-Phillips drove his shot against Marcus Hall six minutes later.

If Coventry thought half-time would bring them some respite from City's constant pressure they were wrong.

The hosts continued to dominate possession and went close to adding to their tally when the indestructible Stuart Pearce saw his free-kick fly just over.

Just after the hour mark Shaun Goater wasted a great chance to score the fourth after racing onto Ali Benarbia's fine pass.

The Bermuda international rounded Flowers but delayed his shot and finally fired into the side netting with Benarbia unmarked in the middle.

Ten minutes later Goater was denied by Flowers but Wright-Philips followed up to float the ball home to make it 4-1.

Mills scored his second late on but City were well out of sight and the 33,000 at Maine Road went home happy.

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Manchester City: Weaver, Pearce (Jihai 76), Mettomo (Ritchie 76), Howey, Wright-Phillips, Berkovic (Jensen 26), Horlock, Benarbia, Tiatto, Goater, Huckerby.

Subs Not Used: Nash, Killen.

Booked: Goater.

Coventry: Flowers, Quinn (Bothroyd 45), Konjic, Breen, Hall, Chippo, Betts, Safri, Healy, Mills, Hughes.

Subs Not Used: Montgomery, Shaw, Guerrero, Joachim.

Booked: Safri.

Attendance: 33,335

Referee: M Pike (Barrow-in-Furness).