EPL: Iheanacho stars in Man City win

Manchester City youngster. Kelechi Iheanacho, was a second substitute as the Etihad side thrashed Stoke City 4-1 in Saturday’s early kickoff in the Premier League.
Iheanacho, who signed a new deal at the club, was introduced in the 83rd minute as Guardiola looked to take advantage of the end-to-end nature of the contest.
The visitors made sure of the points in the 86th minute when Iheanacho, having passed up the chance to score himself after taking the ball too wide of Given, delivered a low cross into Nolito and the Spanish international fired home for his first Premier League goal since arriving from Celta Vigo.
Earlier in the game, Sergio Kun Aguero’s first-half double secured a two-goal lead for the visitors and despite Bojan Krkic hitting back from the penalty shout early in the second period.
The game’s first half-chance arrived in the seventh minute when Aguero drove into the Potters box before attempting to pick out a cross into Raheem Sterling, but the weight of the pass was too strong for the Englishman, who then fired over the crossbar with a powerful strike three minutes later.
Man City were handed a penalty in the 27th minute of action when Stoke skipper Ryan Shawcross pulled Otamendi’s shirt inside the box during a corner and Aguero stepped forward to send his spot kick past Given for the game’s first goal.
Mike Dean’s decision to award the penalty, which was controversial, angered the home supporters and that frustration continued in the latter stages of the first period as the visitors received a number of free kicks and one of those led to Man City’s second as Aguero headed a De Bruyne delivery past Given for 2-0 in the 36th minute.
Stoke were awarded a penalty early in the second period, however, when Raheem Sterling was adjudged to have held Shawcross inside the box as referee Dean showed that he would not be accepting any altercation inside the box.
It was Bojan that stepped forward for the Potters and the former Barcelona youngster found the far corner from the spot to make it a 2-1 game with still more than 40 minutes to play at the newly-named Bet365 Stadium.
Indeed, the goal boosted Stoke as they continued to commit players in the final third, but Man City remained a threat on the counter-attack due to the pace of Sterling and Navas in wide positions.
Guardiola’s side were not finished, however, and made it four in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Sterling raced through into a one-on-one with Given before setting up Nolito, who tapped home for his second after coming off the bench.
Next up for Stoke is a trip to Stevenage in the League Cup on Tuesday, before visiting Everton in the Premier League next weekend. Man City, meanwhile, will host Steaua Bucuresti in the second leg of their Champions League playoff on Wednesday ahead of a home game against West Ham United in the league next Sunday afternoon.
Man City have joined rivals Manchester United on six points in the Premier League table.