Premier League - Robinho hat-trick in City triumph

Eurosport - Sun, 26 Oct 17:14:00 2008

A Robinho hat-trick saw Manchester City record their first win in three Premier League games with a 3-0 victory over Stoke at the City of Manchester Stadium.

robinho - 0

The Brazilian scored his fourth, fifth and sixth goals in just his eighth game for the club in a fine offensive display by the home side, although Stoke let Mark Hughes's side know they were in a game.

City were unstoppable at times, although keeper Joe Hart - who had signed a new five-year contract prior to kick-off - needed to be at his best to keep Stoke out, especially in the first half.

City made the stronger start and it was no surprise they eventually went in front after 14 minutes. Elano headed into the path of young Ched Evans, who calmly rolled the ball to Robinho, in space to his left. The Brazilian made the finish look easy with a calm low finish inside the near post.

Stoke responded strongly however, and City keeper Hart had to tip Ricardo Fuller's effort around the post after Tal Ben Haim had made a mistake just outside his own box, while Richard Dunne twice made crucial tackles on Fuller just as the striker looked to pull the trigger.

The visitors came close to levelling ten minutes before the break as Dunne required treatment on the sidelines on a twisted ankle, but Ryan Shawcross planted his header from a corner straight at Hart on his goalline.

Stoke then had an even better chance to get back on level terms just seconds before half-time when Fuller sprinted on to a ball over the top and held off Dunne on the edge of the box, but his right-foot effort flew high over the crossbar.

It took just three minutes into the second half for the home side to double their lead, as Robinho fired his second past Thomas Sorensen after substitute Danny Sturridge had cleverly laid the ball into his path following a strong run cutting in from the right.

The goal gave City the confidence to express themselves in the final third and they began to tear the visitors apart in a stunning 15-minute spell that saw Micah Richards blast over from six yards out and Sorensen tip a low Robinho drive around his post.

At the other end, Tom Soares brought a save out of Hart with a fierce drive, although the better chances were coming at the other end, Robinho spurning a superb chance for a hat-trick when he fired straight at Sorensen from six yards out after Shaun Wright-Phillips had cut the ball back to him.

But the brilliant Brazilian did finally get his third after another superb counter attack, Wright-Phillips breaking through the middle before Sturridge again showed wonderful vision to cross to the unmarked Robinho, who rolled past the helpless Sorensen.

Wright-Phillips should have made it four when he was through one-on-one with Sorensen moments later, but the little winger got caught in two minds between a shot and a pass into the path of a team-mate.

Stoke showed willing right to the final whistle, with substitute Dave Kitson heading at Hart in the final moments when City went to sleep in defence, but the home side managed to keep their clean sheet - the first in five matches.

Alex Sharratt / Eurosport

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  1. Chelsea were going to buy him I hate you Manchester city!!!!

    From qekrezi@..., on Tue 28 Oct 9:49PM

  2. Robinho rules copy and paste this message if u agree-I AM A CRAZY FOOTBALL FAN

    From Nathan, on Tue 28 Oct 12:31PM

  3. Robinho.

    TEN times the player Berbasulk will EVER be.

    FACT.

    From D, on Tue 28 Oct 12:54AM

  4. bignugget ny name....big nugget by nature.

    What a muppet.

    JEALOUS RAG....counting your £600million DEBT, are you?

    Tick Tock.

    From D, on Tue 28 Oct 12:52AM

  5. I just want to point out that it was stoke that man city mauled...
    Not the joint 2nd place Hull...as stated in your "HOT or NOT" list!

    From hjrobson, on Mon 27 Oct 9:28AM

  6. i got robinho in fantasy football and i got 44.5 point
    hahaahahahahha

    From afa, on Mon 27 Oct 7:12AM

  7. Sick of it all,

    If you're so righteous. stop going online, it runs on oil money. stop driving cars, it runs on oil. and stop whining and go plant some trees. go buy a bicycle and eat ricecakes.

    there are many things in life whose finances come from dirty dealings, but who is to say where the money is still dirty or is clean enough? money circulates. that 10quid in your wallet you got for change from that small shop along the street might have come from kidnapping ransom for all we know. so chill out with the political paranoia.

    football is football.

    From bronze_chimera, on Mon 27 Oct 2:13AM

  8. THE BRAZILIAN IS THE BEST....ROBINHO IS THE BEST........HE IS THE GREAT FOOTBALLER...CAN CHANGE THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENT...@#$% THE REAL MADRID THEY DONT KNOW THE SKILL OF GOOD PLAYER THEY ONLY HAVE MONEY...ROBINHO CAN PROVE HIMSELF HE HAS THE SKILL MORE THAN RONALDO....COME ON ROBINHO U HAVE TO SCORE A LOT MORE U R THE BEST PLAYER OF EPL....

    From madhab, on Mon 27 Oct 1:57AM

  9. I think we all forot to thank the Middle Eastern group that bought Man City and enabled this Blue side of Manchester to buy Robinho in the first place. So in actual fact, we should thank the OIL MONEY Available that enabled Sparky to pay Robinho his salary and the transfer fee. So thank you Middle Eastern oil gods. All your atrocities against humanitiy will be forgiven because you have enabled us to buy Robinho that won a game 3-0, by scoring a hat-trick.

    Up the OIL MONEY...

    From Sick of it all, on Mon 27 Oct 1:33AM

  10. 1st i've heard from man @#$% fans for a couple of weeks, must have won a game! you blues will always be mushrooms living in man u's shadow - red4life

    From bignugget@..., on Mon 27 Oct 1:06AM

  11. Man City is my religion, Robinho is My God,

    The Munes had to get out a massive UEFA Provi loan to buy cry baby Berbatov so is it any wonder that they can't afford to buy Elephant Man Tevez, let alone Stevie Gerrard.
    I can't see Gerrard leaving the Scouse and joining the Rag Scum Munes who's glory days are all but numbered, although Tevez would be a great asset to the Dressing room at Eastlands....."Bird scaring and Cleaning Robinho's boots".

    City Til' I Die.

    From Billy, on Mon 27 Oct 12:55AM

  12. manc84 jus wait and see who is right...

    From raul_melo7@..., on Mon 27 Oct 12:17AM

  13. RAUL_MELO ARE U RETARDED?(believe me he cant do s%$*@!, without others players good as him, Man City needs better players) you dumb @#$%!!! 6 in 8 games enough said!!!!!

    From BallsDeep, on Sun 26 Oct 11:57PM

  14. NO JOKES I WAS DYIN TO SEE ROBINHO'S GOALS ON MOTD. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTD. WHT COOL FINISH. I ALWAYS THOGHT ROBINHO IS FAV PLAYR. NOW MY FAITH IS BEIN REWARDED. IM GLAD

    From serenandipity, on Sun 26 Oct 11:16PM

  15. awsome for buying robinho lol

    From Mart, on Sun 26 Oct 11:15PM

  16. I´m from brazil and i´ve seen Robinho since he became a professional player, believe me he cant do s%$*@!, without others players good as him, Man City needs better players. He has the skill to be the the best player of the world, as others brazilians were (Kaka, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rivaldo e Romario).

    From raul_melo7@..., on Sun 26 Oct 10:41PM

  17. I think robihno is class. He was class as a young player in brazil, though he was not so consistent in spain. But considering that it takes time for south americans (who play an entertaining robust and enjoyment only style) to adjust to the hard english game, i think he has adjusted well.
    Just imagine rooney in the colors of fluminense playing in the brazilian game.

    From bosun_dele, on Sun 26 Oct 8:27PM

  18. Robinho vs Stoke. The savior for Man. city

    From Henderson, on Sun 26 Oct 8:26PM

  19. lukeharrison07 - clueless or what?

    6 goals in 8 for City.

    City TOP Scorers in the Prem.

    Duh !!

    From D, on Sun 26 Oct 8:03PM

  20. the blues???...how long they can stay huh?..the red is best lol! huhuhu...

    From kg.sirehFC, on Sun 26 Oct 7:56PM
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